Home Company News Room USS Zumwalt

The Latest US Navy Stealth Destroyer, USS Zumwalt,
Showcases Proven Furuno Technology

The vessel boasts an impressive electronic navigation package

Camas, WA, June 15, 2016 – With much fanfare, the US Navy recently launched USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), lead ship of the all-new Zumwalt-class of stealth destroyers. Named for Admiral Elmo R. “Bud” Zumwalt, this new vessel was developed under the US Navy’s DD-21 “21st Century Destroyer” program.

Furuno is very proud to have been selected as the primary navigation and GMDSS emergency communications provider for the USS Zumwalt. Furuno provided training and support throughout the entire installation and commissioning process, with the system meeting all the high expectations of Bath Iron Works and the US Navy.

The USS Zumwalt boasts an impressive electronic navigation package that includes two Furuno X-Band and two S-Band FAR2xx7 Radar systems (four navigational Radars total) along with a complete RC1815 GMDSS communications package. Both X- and S-Band Radar systems are installed fore and aft of the deckhouse. Each system combines into a single display presentation, allowing the fore and aft X-Band Radars to provide a cohesive X-Band picture on a single display. The same is true for the two S-Band Radars.

Other Furuno equipment onboard includes the FA150 AIS, GS100 Satellite Speed Log, and NX700P Navtex systems, all installed by Bath Iron Works, a part of General Dynamics Marine Systems. Operating out of Bath, Maine, they are a full service shipyard specializing in the design, construction and support of complex surface combatants for the U.S. Navy.

“We are extremely proud of our long-standing relationship with the US Navy providing the most reliable and dependable marine electronics for the USS Zumwalt,” stated Brad Reents, President of Furuno USA, Inc. “Our award-winning Radar systems are a perfect fit for this all-new class of destroyers to aid in safe navigation and collision avoidance.”

The USS Zumwalt is expected to carry a complement of 80 Tomahawk long-range, subsonic cruise missiles, designed to attack a variety of surface targets. While the ship has no current expectation for ballistic missile defense, the USS Zumwalt is currently capable of launching the SM-2 surface-to-air (SAM) missiles, which can be dual-purposed to attack enemy ships, both at line-of-sight range as well as over the horizon, using inertial guidance and terminal infrared homing.

Future adaptation of the weapons systems include plans for a railgun, as its turbines are capable of producing up to 78 megawatts of power - sufficient to power the impressive electromagnetic weapon.

Furuno is proud to add the DDG-1000 project to its long list of accomplishments and fittings on US government and military vessels, which include the Radar Service Life Extension Program for the US Navy LCAC Landing Craft, numerous fittings for vessels in US Naval Special Warfare programs, the AN/SPS-50 Surface Search Radar program for the US Coast Guard, the US Coast Scalable Integrated Navigation System (SINS) and more.

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