Zumwalt Class DDG 1000 Program Tests Integrated Power System

The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) observed live tests of the DDG 1000 Integrated Power System (IPS) at the Land Based Test Site at Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division - Ship Systems Engineering Station (NSWCCD-SSES) July 22.

DDG 1000 will be the first U.S. Navy surface combatant to use electric power for propulsion and ship services. An IPS generates the total ship electric power requirements, then distributes and converts it for all ship loads, including propulsion, combat systems and ship services. The first successful test of the IPS occurred May 11.

CNO Adm. Gary Roughead received an overview of the DDG 1000 program from Capt. James Downey, DDG 1000 program manager from Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, and a tour of the test site by Matthew Stauffer, NSWCCD-SSES DDG 1000 IPS LBTS program manager.

"Providing the CNO an update on the DDG 1000 Program and demonstrating the equipment in operation was a unique opportunity to highlight the significant progress the program has made," said Downey.

"It is rewarding to see the hard work of our Philadelphia engineers and industry partners being recognized by the chief of naval operations," said Patricia Woody, Machinery Research and Engineering Department head at NSWCCD-SSES. "DDG 1000 is currently under construction, and the testing being conducted on the IPS at the LBTS will greatly reduce ship activation timelines, therefore providing overall cost savings to the Navy."

The IPS is a unique design integrating the power system with fight through power to allow for automatic reconfiguration following damage to the power distribution system. The next test, scheduled for early 2012, will integrate and test portions of the DDG 1000 Engineering Control System software with the IPS to verify software and hardware compatibility.

The lead ship of the DDG 1000 class, USS Zumwalt, is more than 50 percent complete and scheduled to deliver in fiscal year 2014, with an initial operating capability in fiscal year 2016. The second ship, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), is approximately 20 percent complete.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships, an affiliated PEO of NAVSEA, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, special warfare craft, and foreign military sales.

NSWCCD-SSES provides the Navy's primary technical expertise and facilities for Naval machinery research, development and life cycle engineering.