WASHINGTON, April 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy has spent a reported $3 billion to build the largest stealth destroyer, the USS Zumwalt, in the fleet.
The destroyer is named after Admiral Elmo Zumwalt. The daughters of the admiral christened the 610-feet long, 80-feet wide, 15,000-ton destroyer. It was also created to be 50 times harder to spot than other destroyers.
The vessel is fueled by the carbon dioxide and oxygen that it harvests from ocean water, and requires half the crew currently used on destroyers. It is one of three that the navy plans to add to the fleet.
The destroyer will be equipped with a drone-targeting laser, as well as a rail gun that fires a projectile at 7-and-a-half times the speed of sound and has a range of 125 miles. It can also carry several helicopters on board, in addition to several aerial drones.
"I know my father would be deeply moved by the majesty of the vessel we see before us. He would be humbled that it bears his name," said Ann Zumwalt, one of the admiral's daughters.
[GeoBeats]
