DDG-1000 Destroyer, USS Zumwalt

The DDG-1000 Destroyer is to become the most advanced military ship ever...and for a $7 Billion price tag, that better be true...

Behold the Zumwalt class DDG-1000 Destroyer, well at least a piece of it since the boat is still in construction. It's projected completion date is April 2013. The piece above is just the deck house of the massive ship. Below is a piece of the hull. Originally the boat was supposed to cost $3.8 Billion but now the price tag is at a staggering $7 Billion. So I will definitely never be allowed to drive it...

It's designed as a multi-mission ship with focus on land attack. The program was previously known as the "DD(X)". The Zumwalt class is multi-role and designed for surface warfare, anti-aircraft, and naval fire support. 

Above is the Advanced Electric Ship Demonstrator (AESD), Sea Jet, a 133-foot vessel an example of another Zumwalt class ship. You can observe a bizarre wake reducing shape to the hull that will also be present in the USS Zumwalt class ships.

Only one Zumwalt class destroyer is in construction, the DDG-1000. The $7 Billion price tag on the ship is a major factor in the limited number of these boats in production. Originally 32 were planned to be constructed, but cuts in funding and increased cost of production, reduced them to three.

The DDG-1000 Destroyer is to be equipped with the new anti-air megawatt class raygun, a free-electron laser. The automated raygun will be able to automatically target incoming missiles or drones and destroy them with a pulse of heat.

It will also have a wave-piercing tumblehome hull, example above, which will reduce the radar cross-section and allows for minimal water surface disturbance.

The ship is centered around a potent payload of up to 80 surface-to-surface missiles. Twin AGS (Advanced Gun System) 155mm cannon mounts provide an offensive punch and 2 x 57mm guns supply defensive close-in anti-aircraft/anti-missile capabilities. Also provisions are in place to support the addition of torpedo capabilities. The ships capabilities are further augmented by the ability to support up to two MH-60R type helicopters and up to three unmanned aerial vehicles. Making the Zumwalt class one of the most flexible wartime ships.

Here is a video from March 2012 of the ongoing construction of the DDG-1000.

Update:
The USS Zumwalt was launched from its shipyard in Bath, Maine on 29 October 2013
http://www.lazyboytech.com/2013/10/ddg-1000-destroyer-uss-zumwalt-launched.html#more
Click Link Above to Read more.