As 2014 draws to a close, we begin to focus on some of the important strides forward the Surface Force will make in the coming year, specifically the commissioning and initial operational testing of the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the first of the three ship Zumwalt class. USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) and USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002), will join the fleet in 2018 and 2021, providing the Navy with the world’s most sophisticated destroyers.

Earlier this year, the christening of the Zumwalt captured the imagination of the American public, as it saw for the first time the distinctive, powerful shape of this futuristic warship bristling with new technologies and capabilities designed to influence world events and sail American naval power where it matters, when it matters. DDG 1000 will provide sea control and power projections options that will help protect and sustain our national interests, assure friends and allies, and dissuade potential adversaries.

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