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A costly Warship! The Zumwalt is one of the US Navy's futuristic vessels but one thing that struck me about the referenced article about the Zumwalt is the expensive .. or rather super expensive ammunition that it apparently has to have.  The article indicates that the Zumwalt has massive guns and impressive attack range but at a cost.  The stated cost of $800,000.00 per round makes me wonder why someone didn't see this coming?  What the heck kind of ammo is it that cost $800,000.00 a round and if right then why design a ship that has only that type of weapon system and not one that is supplemented by another, lesser expensive, group of weapons.  

Let's hope that this ship, as well as all the others, never have to fire a shot due to hostile intent on the part of our enemies but rather serve as a deterrent to those who would think of taking the US Navy on.  I had initially thought that these new class of ships were designed to have and implement the Navy's new Rail Guns but then some have said that the new Rail Gun's aren't quite ready for prime time yet.  It seems that the Chinese have a rail gun ready and have beat us to that punch, at least for now.  I also know that there is work and research being done on implementing various laser type weapons so maybe this $800,000.00 a round weapon/gun is one that has been developed in the "Skunk Works" futuristic weapon division of whoever is making our super weapons these days.  I just hope we are able to remain ahead of our potential adversaries and keep them guessing.  

What worries me though is that sometime someone may get the idea to actually try out and challenge some of these weapons feeling that they have an advantage or fail proof offense and defense.  MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) isn't such a bad deterrent itself and has served the World well.  Today though with technology being what it is it's more dangerous when someone like Putin or China has a weapon that they believe puts them at a distinct advantage and that someone could reach a point that they believe they could survive an initial first attack.  The day may come, or be here now, when a Nuclear power could survive a first major attack and actually win but I believe the world that would be left would be one that no one would find pleasurable to live or dwell in.  

Be as the Bereans ( Acts 17:11 )

Original Post

The Navy has tabled the Long Range Land Attack Projectile and is seeking an alternative projectile for its Advanced Gun System.  But the Zumwalt class destroyers are far from a one weapons system platform.  Their vertical launch system enables them to deploy the SM-6 multipurpose missile system and the Tomahawk cruise missile.  The Navy could always retrofit the Mk 45 gun system or resurrect the Mk 71 gun system.  

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