USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) - A Legendary Destroyer Leader

Zumwalt was a United States Navy destroyer leader, the lead ship of her class. She was named in honor of Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., who served as the Chief of Naval Operations from 1970 to 1974. The ship was built by Bath Iron Works in Maine and commissioned on October 12, 1986.

The Zumwalt-class destroyers were designed to be multi-mission ships with advanced capabilities in anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and surface warfare. They were equipped with the latest technology, including the Aegis Combat System, the Vertical Launching System (VLS), and the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS). The ship's main armament consisted of two 5-inch (127mm) guns, eight Mark 41 VLS cells for missiles, and two 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts for self-defense.

The Zumwalt was decommissioned on March 28, 2022, after more than 35 years of service. She was the only ship of her class to be built, and her decommissioning marked the end of an era in U.S. naval history.