People
New Destroyer Takes to Sea
MMA graduates contribute to "First of a Class" Navy destroyer
By STEVEN B. COLFER '79
million lines of software code. The ship is also
fitted out with a centerline electric anchor and a
stern launch and recovery boat system.
While the ship was being rigorously tested
on trials, a mariner-in-distress cal was received
from a fishing boat. Zumwalt drove at ful power
for two hours, launched its boat, retrieved the
sailor and brought him aboard where he
received medical care and was airlifted ashore
by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Not bad for a
ship's maiden voyage.
Following Builder's and Acceptance trials in
2016, DDG 1000 wil be delivered to the Navy in
Bath and command turned over to Capt. James
Kirk (no "T" in the middle) who wil take the
ship and crew to its homeport in San Diego to
join the U.S. Fleet.
[Left to right] Pat Mulkern '96, Mark Norton '98, Mark Haines '86, Steve Colfer '79, Brian Howard '96, Attapol Sookma '96,
This was a very good
John Nowinski '86 (forward), Phil Laperriere '05 (back), Lance Lemieux '81, Steve Collins '84, Jason Grabelle '98, Mark Klopp
"
'87, Ed Cummings '87, Doug Lamoreaux '97
"seatrialfortheNavy,
BIW and MMA.
The men and women of BIW have been pro-
viding ships to the U.S. Navy for many years.
Thousands of employees in Maine contribute
daily to this effort, which includes many grad-
uates of the Maine Maritime Academy. MMA
has contributed to the success of BIW, and in
fact, the company is led by a Maine Maritime
graduate, Fred Harris '67.
Steven Colfer is the Chief Engineer and Director,
Test and Trials at BIW.
Photos courtesy of Bath Iron Works
Aftermillionsofhoursofdesign,con- entorganizations(shipyard,industryandNavy)
struction, activation and testing, the U.S.
who were key contributors to the trial.
Navy's newest ship, DDG 1000 Zumwalt,
The trial was planned to test initial at sea
recently completed its maiden voyage on what is
demonstrations of many new technologies and
called an Alpha Trial. With hundreds of people
design features, including an Integrated Power
aboard for the first time, the ship left its berth at
System, a highly survivable electrical distribu-
the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW),
tion system called "Integrated Fight Through
Bath, Maine, and conducted a 17-day trial. On
Power" and dozens of systems controlled by an
board were several MMA graduates from differ-
Engineering Control System with more than 8
mainemaritime.edu
17

---