
MQ-4C, E-2C, C-2A, P-8A, F-35 and SH-60R flew over USS Zumwalt in Chesapeake
USS Zumwalt, the U.S. Navy’s newest and most technologically advanced surface ship, was commissioned in Baltimore, Maryland, on Oct. 15 during the city’s Fleet Week festivities.
First ship of a new class of stealthy multi-mission destroyers (worth $4.4 billion apiece), the futuristic Zumwalt features an advanced power system capable to generate 78 megawatts of power and has the ability to launch TLAMs (Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles) and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (like those used in Yemen recently), as well as a wide array of other anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry.
Several aircraft flew over the advanced multi-mission guided-missile destroyer as it travelled to its new home port of Sand Diego.
In this post you can find the most interesting photos.
The top one (courtesy of Naval Air Systems Command) is particularly cool. It shows a Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton overflying USS Zumwalt.
U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C “Triton” Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) unmanned aircraft system (UAS), is an ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) platform under development that will complement the P-8A Poseidon within the Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force family of systems.
The MQ-4C is a much advanced version than the first generation Global Hawk Block 10: it is believed to be a sort of Block 20 and Block 30 Global Hawk hybrid, carrying Navy payload.
With a 130.9-foot wingspan, the drone features an AN/ZPY-3 multi-function active-sensor (MFAS) radar system, that gives the Triton the ability to cover more than 2.7 million square miles in a single mission that can last as long as 24 hours at a time, at altitudes higher than 10 miles, with an operational range of 8,200 nautical miles.
A test proved the gigantic Navy drone’s ability to pass FMV (Full Motion Video) to a Poseidon MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) last June.
The U.S. Navy plans to procure 68 aircraft and 2 prototypes. The program received Milestone C low-rate initial production approval after a successful Milestone Decision Authority review at the end of September 2016.

CHESAPEAKE BAY, Md. (Oct. 17, 2016) An E-2C Hawkeye and a C-2A Greyhound assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 fly over USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) as the ship travels to its new home port of San Diego, California. Zumwalt was commissioned in Baltimore, Maryland, Oct. 15 and is the first in a three-ship class of the Navy’s newest, most technologically advanced multi-mission guided-missile destroyers. (U.S. Navy photo by Erik Hildebrandt/Released)

CHESAPEAKE BAY, Md. (Oct. 17, 2016) A P-8A Poseidon assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 flies over USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) as the ship travels to its new home port of San Diego, California. Zumwalt was commissioned in Baltimore, Maryland, Oct. 15 and is the first in a three-ship class of the Navy’s newest, most technologically advanced multi-mission guided-missile destroyers. (U.S. Navy photo by Erik Hildebrandt/Released)

CHESAPEAKE BAY, Md. (Oct. 17, 2016) An SH-60R assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 flies near USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) as the ship travels to its new home port of San Diego, California. Zumwalt was commissioned in Baltimore, Maryland, Oct. 15 and is the first in a three-ship class of the Navy’s newest, most technologically advanced multi-mission guided-missile destroyers. (U.S. Navy photo by Liz Wolter/Released)

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Nothing compares to U.S. Navy airpower, and nothing will for decades, if ever. China and Russia can only dream of this level of seapower. Especially Russia who has a Navy which is going nowhere. Hell their pitiful carrier won’t even leave port without a tug boat ready to tow them back home when they invariably break down. And these people think they can start and win a war against NATO? They’re delusional! Or drunk. Probably drunk. Likely both.
Never say never. That’s how you get idiots in Washington thinking everything is A-okay with our nuclear forces.
Part of the Russian navy (1 aircraft carrying, heavy cruiser and a nuclear powered (nuclear armed?) battle cruiser) appears to be going to anchor off Syria’s coast, in about a fortnights time.
Along with its tug boat – yes you’re right. lol!!
OMG – here we go with another “insightful” rant about the those useless Russians, Chinese, etc, etc.
How ‘s that Su-27 series thing working for you these days??
That last jet with the ultra-short-range missiles and the pontoons under the wing looked like it had radar reflectors
That’s a (stealthy) F-35, made very unstealthy, by hanging a rack with missile on the wing hard point.
Really? “Very unstealthy” you say? Qualify that statement quantitatively please.
Yes , he’s correct that hanging missiles and ordnance under the wings makes its no longer stealthy, And honestly every other human being with a brain and a basic knowledge of military aircraft would think the same. Put the computer away dude and go take a walk, get some fresh air, and give it rest!
Except that’s not what he said. You need to work on your reading comprehension. Such as it is. Come to think of it, you should probably educate yourself on how stealth works as well.
I’ll bet you think stealth is like flipping a switch. That if you’re “stealthy” you can park on top of a NIIIP 91N6E (look it up) and not be seen. But if you put an AIM-9X on a pylon, suddenly an SNR-75 can detect you from 300 miles away right? Judas, kids these days.
You’re joking right? Please tell me you’re not actually that stupid.
thats why there is a weapons bay
Still leagues more stealthy than a Super Horner. Please take your uneducated ignorance else where.
Compared to the F-35-B, its predecessor was faster and had a longer range. (Lockheed Martin bought the “Yak-141” from Russia, from which the F-35-B was derived)
I’m not sure its a good idea to have the US fight those Rooskies with planes rejected by Russia some 35 years ago.
Remember the ‘stealth’ F-117 that was taken down over Yugoslavia?
Remember when the Persians sold to the Chi-Coms the ‘stealth’ RQ-180 drone the US foolishly flew over Iran?
The US needs an entirely new set of longer range missiles that are not so easily jammed by Russian Digital Memory Phased Array radars the Russians use in their planes. (The Russians have air to air missiles with a range of 2,500 miles, the US, not so much.) Hanging the missiles on the outside of the plane makes no difference, as the Russians can ‘see’ all planes considered “stealthy”. (And track the Zumwalt from space, so its ‘stealth’ is of no consequence to the Russians.)
“Compared to the F-35-B, its predecessor was faster and had a longer
range. (Lockheed Martin bought the “Yak-141″ from Russia, from which the
F-35-B was derived)”
Uh, no. Not even remotely. To be polite.
lol 2,500 miles. Maybe you should go learn what you are talking about before posting here.
“Compared to the F-35-B, its predecessor was faster and had a longer
range. (Lockheed Martin bought the “Yak-141″ from Russia, from which the
F-35-B was derived)”
Okay parroting that right there? Uhm, yeah. Like a fart in church, let’s just pretend you didn’t actually repeat that BS.
it can obviouly haul weapons internally when stealth is required, stealth is not required all the time….only when its providing ISR, hunting enemy aircraft and killing sams.
Gee, it’s so stealthy you can barely make out what it is in the pictures from 10,000 ft…
Seriously, tell me what this ship can REALLY do an Arleigh Burke cannot at less than 1/2 the cost other than look like it belongs on a TNT TV show…?