The largest destroyer built for the U.S. Navy headed out for sea trials on this week, navigating through the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine towards the open ocean, NBC reported.
The 183-metre (600-foot) USS Zumwalt, or DDG 1000, is the first of three ships in the new Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers, built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, the company's Maine shipyard.
General Dynamics Corp was expected to deliver two Zumwalt-class destroyers to the Navy later than planned, U.S. Navy officials said, blaming complications due to challenges with the integration, installation and testing of unique technology on the new class of warships.
The future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is underway for the first time conducting at-sea tests and trials in the Atlantic Ocean Dec. 7, 2015. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works/)
The Navy was adjusting its official baseline for the $22 billion DDG 1000 ship program to reflect the new delivery dates but the change will not trigger a mandatory review since the resulting cost increase will be under 15 per cent, a defense official told Reuters, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
The Navy said it works closely with General Dynamics to control cost increases and evaluate the impact on the schedule for other ships under construction at the company's shipyard in Bath, Maine, including DDG 51 Aegis destroyers.
Navy officials said in March that the company was expected to deliver the second ship, DDG 1001, in November 2016, nearly a year after its original due date this December.
There was no change in the scheduled delivery of the third and final ship in the class, DDG 1002, which remains December 2018.
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