The USS Zumwalt will require additional testing into the coming fiscal year, the Pentagon reports. (General Dynamics Bath Iron Works)
The US Navy (USN) will be continuing testing on guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) into the coming fiscal year (FY), according to the Pentagon's Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E).
“Due to competing operational commitments and system readiness, initial operational testing will continue through at least FY [20]24,” the DOT&E noted in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 DOT&E Annual Report on major defence programmes, released on 19 January.
“Surface Warfare (SUW) operational testing is complete, but all other primary and secondary mission areas require additional testing,” the DOT&E reported.
“Cyber survivability testing is planned in FY [20]23 on USS Zumwalt,” the DOT&E said. “Strike Warfare operational testing is targeted in FY [20]23 and FY [20]24 on USS Michael Monsoor [DDG 1001]. The navy is developing an OASuW [offensive anti-surface warfare] operational test strategy for DOT&E approval in the next TEMP [Test and Evaluation Master Plan] revision.”
However, “the navy has not funded or planned an adequate ship survivability assessment against underwater threat weapons, to include a demonstration of residual mission capability after such engagements, through a full-ship shock trial. This assessment was not complete prior to initial deployment of USS Zumwalt in 4Q [fourth quarter] FY [20]22”, the DOT&E added.
The navy has not updated vulnerability and recoverability modelling and simulation (M&S) meant to support the live-fire test and evaluation (LFT&E) survivability assessment of the DDG 1000 class to reflect the ship as built, the DOT&E reported.
“Further, the navy does not intend to update, validate, or accredit LFT&E survivability assessments prior to completing their LFT&E programme in FY [20]23,” the DOT&E added.
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