The USS Zumwalt heading out to sea.
The United States Navy has launched its largest ever destroyer under the command of Captain James Kirk.
The USS Zumwalt, which measures 600ft in length and weighs in at over 15,000 tons, headed out of the Bath Iron Works shipbuilders in Maine for the first time on Monday to undergo initial sea trials.
The ship is equipped with all the latest technologies including electric propulsion, advanced automation systems and a stealthy new design that makes it difficult for enemies to detect.
One of the weapons that will be tested aboard the vessel is the rail gun which uses high-energy electromagnetic pulses to launch projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound.
The ship’s commander, rather appropriately, is Captain James Kirk – a man who happens to share exactly the same name as William Shatner’s character in the original Star Trek TV series.
“We are absolutely fired up to see Zumwalt get under way,” said Kirk. “For the crew and all those involved in designing, building and readying this fantastic ship, this is a huge milestone.”
The Zumwalt is the first of three such vessels – each costing a whopping $4.4 billion.
