The first of a new class of destroyers will be christened at Bath Iron Works on April 12 after its original christening date was postponed by the U.S. government shutdown.

The destroyer, to be known as the USS Zumwalt, is a nearly $4 billion stealth destroyer. It’s the first of three DDG-1000 destroyers being made at Bath Iron Works and the largest ever built for the U.S. Navy.

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The 610-foot destroyer features a wave-piercing hull, composite deckhouse, electric drive propulsion, advanced sonar, missiles and powerful guns that fire rocket-propelled warheads as far as 100 miles.

The original christening date had been set for Oct. 19 but had to be rescheduled because of the government shutdown.

The destroyer honors Navy Adm. Elmo “Bud” Zumwalt Jr., who became the 19th chief of naval operations in 1970. He died in 2000.

The destroyer is due to be delivered to the Navy in late 2014.

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