The second Zumwalt-class stealth destroyer built at Bath Iron Works has passed its sea test, a final evaluation before the ship is put into active service.
The future USS Michael Monsoor successfully completed acceptance trials Thursday, according to a statement from Naval Sea Systems Command.
Onboard systems such as navigation, damage control, mechanical, combat, communication and propulsion met or exceeded Navy specifications, the statement said.
The ship “performed exceedingly well during acceptance trials,” Capt. Kevin Smith, program manager for the Zumwalt-class ships, said in a written statement.
During the test, a team of industry and Navy personnel incorporated lessons from the sea test of the USS Zumwalt, the first ship in its class, Smith said.
“The trials once again demonstrated how truly powerful and exceptional these ships are,” he said.
The Monsoor was christened in June 2016 and left Bath for sea trials in early December before it was briefly recalled for an equipment failure. It is named after a Navy SEAL who was killed in Iraq in 2006 when he jumped on a grenade, saving the lives of his comrades.
The warship is the second of three Zumwalt-class destroyers BIW was contracted to build for the Navy. Once the Navy accepts possession and commissions the ship at a ceremony, it will be called the USS Michael Monsoor.
The USS Zumwalt was commissioned in 2015 and a third ship, to be named the USS Lyndon B. Johnson, is under construction in Bath. The Zumwalt experienced mechanical breakdowns shortly after it was put into active service. The Navy planned to build 32 of the ships, but later reduced the order to three, all built at BIW.
The Zumwalt-class ships are the largest and most technologically sophisticated destroyers ever built for the Navy. Each displaces over 15,000 tons, is more than 600 feet long and more than 80 feet wide. The three ships feature state-of-the-art weapons, electric propulsion and a stealth hull design that makes the 610-foot-ship look the size of a fishing boat on radar. They were designed to fulfill a variety of roles, including surface attack and onshore bombardment.
The estimated cost of the three-ship order is $22 billion.
Peter McGuire can be contacted at 791-6325 or at:
pmcguire@pressherald.com
Twitter: PeteL_McGuire
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