The US Navy reports that the carbon fibre composite superstructure significantly reduces cross section and acoustic output, making the ship less transparent to enemies at sea.
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) is responsible for design, construction and delivery of the Zumwalt-class (DDG 1000) destroyer.
Construction began on DDG 1000 in February 2009.
In October 2012, Huntington Ingalls Industries delivered the 900-ton carbon composite deckhouse for the destroyer.
The ship is currently more than 87% complete. BIW will continue remaining construction work on the hull prior to planned delivery to the Navy in late 2014. It is expected to reach its initial operating capability in 2016.
DDG 1000 is first of three Zumwalt-class destroyers.
In 2011, the US Navy has awarded General Dynamics BIW a US$1.8 billion contract for the construction of DDG 1001 and DDG 1002, the next two ships in the programme. DDG 1001 is scheduled to be delivered in December 2015 and DDG 1002 in February 2018.
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In September this year Huntington Ingalls announced the closure of its composites centre in Gulfport, Mississippi, as the result of the reduction in Zumwalt-class DDG 1000 ship construction and the US Navy's decision to use steel products on DDG 1002. The company is still completing its composite work on DDG 1001.
