U.S. Navy Releases Video Of A Mysterious Drone Swarm Over The USS Zumwalt

 

Warzone/The Drive: Video Of Mysterious Drone Swarm Over Navy’s Most Advanced Destroyer Released  

The swarm incident involving USS Zumwalt was just one of many similar events involving Navy ships off California in 2019.  

The U.S. Navy has released a new video from an incident that involved six unidentified drones flying over its most advanced surface combatant, the USS Zumwalt. The incident occurred in the waters off the coast of Southern California in April 2019. 

The War Zone received the video via the Freedom of Information act as part of our ongoing investigation into reports of drone swarm incidents that occurred near Navy vessels intermittently throughout 2019 off Southern California. Our previous update in the investigation produced a number of briefing documents, including an unclassified video and photographs that provided a significant increase in detail about these strange incidents. While the bulk of the drone swarm events occurred in July of 2019, we learned of several new events that occurred earlier in the year. Among these was the incident involving the USS Zumwalt.  

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WNU Editor: Cannot tell much from the short video, but the person who is filming the drone swarm is clearly excited.

The U.S. Navy Wants To Put Hypersonic Missile Modules On Its Zumwalt Destroyers

Warzone/The Drive: Navy Wants Triple-Packed Hypersonic Missile Modules On Its Stealthy Zumwalt Destroyers 

The modules are too large for the ship's existing vertical launch cells, so they would likely take the place of its all but abandoned deck guns. 

The U.S. Navy is now officially looking into what it would take to arm its Zumwalt class stealth destroyers, also referred to as DDG-1000s, with hypersonic missiles. The service has also now disclosed that it is looking to field these missiles loaded into an Advanced Payload Module, or APM, that has "a three-pack configuration." 

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Update: Navy searches for companies able to integrate hypersonic weapons aboard Navy Zumwalt-class destroyers (Military and Aerospace Electronics) 

WNU Editor: The US Navy is also looking at putting lasers on the Zumwalt destroyer .... The Navy Wants to Put Lasers on Zumwalt Destroyers (Popular Mechanics).

U.S. Navy's Zumwalt Destroyer Passes Its Rough Sea Tests

A view from the Bridge on destroyer Zumwalt during heavy seas testing late in 2020. (Photo: Navy) 

Defense News: The stealth destroyer Zumwalt sails through rough seas testing 

WASHINGTON – The stealth destroyer Zumwalt aced its rough seas testing, leaders from Naval Sea Systems Command said in a recent release. 

Engineers from the Naval Surface Warfare Centers Carderock Division and Philadelphia Division carried out tests late last year on Zumwalt as part of the ship’s Performance and Special Trials, which are conducted on the lead ship of every class to test how the ship behaves in various sea conditions. 

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Update: Debate Over Navy's Zumwalt Destroyer's Seakeeping Abilities Doused After Rough Seas Tests (Warzone/The Drive) 

WNU Editor: The next step for the Zumwalt Destroyer is to put weapons on her .... EXCLUSIVE Eying China, CNO Plans Hypersonics & Lasers On Zumwalt Destroyers (Breaking Defense)

The Navy's Stealth Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Has Fired A Missile For The First Time

 

Warzone/The Drive: The Navy's Stealth Destroyer Has Fired A Missile For The First Time 

 After over $26B spent on the program, the launch serves as a glimmer of hope that the tiny Zumwalt class may one day live up to its potential. 

The first-in-class stealth destroyer USS Zumwalt has live-fired a Standard Missile 2, or SM-2, for the first time ever. 

The Zumwalt class ships, also known by the hull number for the lead ship, DDG-1000, are set to be equipped with a unique variant of the SM-2, also known as the SM-2 Block IIIAZ. 

The need for this particular missile is tied to several controversial design decisions the Pentagon and the Navy have made over the years to these ships, including those having to do with their radars, which may now be in line to be replaced, something The War Zone was first to report on last week. 

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 More News On The Navy's Stealth Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Has Fired A Missile For The First Time

See the US Navy’s stealth destroyer conduct its first missile test -- Defense News 

Watch US Navy stealth destroyer Zumwalt fire off missile for first time -- SCMP/Business Insider 

USS Zumwalt successfully conducts first missile test -- UPI 

The Navy's Stealthy Zumwalt-class Destroyer Just Took Out an Enemy Missile -- National Interest 

USS Zumwalt Test Fires Missile for the First Time -- USNI News