New Navy Destroyer.... But, Get This....

[Yanks]

Its commissioning is a bit of a ways off and a pretty different requirement from commanding destroyers, but it would be awesome if he got command of the next Enterprise. Make it happen, US Navy.

That will so never happen. They haven't sent 45 year old black shoe captains to flight school since about 1930. In 12 years he will probably be too senior to even fly his flag in her. They should have started planning all this around the time Star Trek VI came out.

Has he been aiming for captain his whole time in service?

I think that's pretty safe to assume. On the way to admiral, anyway.

Kind of funny to see an O-6 commanding a "destroyer." I know it's huge, but only about 150 crew.

You sound like someone that know's what he's talking about

Senior Captains for a pre-commissioning gig aren't that uncommon.

That experience, especially with this "thing" is preferred. Remember, all the instructions/policies for this class ship are going to start from scratch.

My only reservations about this DDG is the cost.

 

[Marc]

Its commissioning is a bit of a ways off and a pretty different requirement from commanding destroyers, but it would be awesome if he got command of the next Enterprise. Make it happen, US Navy.

That will so never happen. They haven't sent 45 year old black shoe captains to flight school since about 1930. In 12 years he will probably be too senior to even fly his flag in her. They should have started planning all this around the time Star Trek VI came out.

I'd read that carries are only ever captained by naval aviators (or former ones) but never looked into.

Gather it was a bit of a turf thing - to stop the "old" navy from taking over the new guys?

 

[ManOnTheWave]

CAPT James A. Kirk
Commanding Officer

IT'S REAL!!! STAR TREK IS REAL!!! I KNEW IT!!! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!

 

[Yanks]

Finally, Capt. Kirk has his cloaking device


http://fox2now.com/2013/10/31/finally-capt-kirk-has-his-cloaking-device/

The Zumwalt can’t travel into deep space like the Starship Enterprise, but it does have a feature that the fictional Capt. Kirk coveted. On the television series, the captain once stole a “cloaking device” from a Romulan ship that effectively made the Enterprise “disappear” from their enemies’ eyes.

While the Zumwalt cannot completely disappear, its canopy and the rest of the ship is built on angles that help make it 50 times harder to spot on radar than an ordinary destroyer.

Hard to believe this is happening

 

[RAMA]

After about a decade of seeing various versions of artwork for this ship, it's odd seeing the actual thing.

RAMA

 

[Manticore]

After about a decade of seeing various versions of artwork for this ship, it's odd seeing the actual thing.

RAMA

Agreed; I never expected to see her. She certainly looks better "in person" than the art ever made he look. I am wondering how stable she is though, considering that her hull is basically the reverse shape of any other ship's hull in existence.

 

[J.T.B.]

Senior Captains for a pre-commissioning gig aren't that uncommon.

That experience, especially with this "thing" is preferred. Remember, all the instruction for this class are going to start from scratch.

I was wondering if that was the case, thanks. I realize he'll be more of a project manager than a skipper.

I'd read that carries are only ever captained by naval aviators (or former ones) but never looked into.

Gather it was a bit of a turf thing - to stop the "old" navy from taking over the new guys?

Mostly the result of some smart people taking a serious look at how the aviation services should be run post-WW1: Would the army and navy keep their air forces, or would they be split off and mashed together in a new independent air force? And if they kept them separate, how would they be integrated into the parent service? They realized traditional "seaman" line officers would be out of their depth trying to manage the aviation aspects of an aviation command, so Congress made it a law that only naval aviators or aviation observers could command a carrier (or seaplane tender, or air station). Because the WW1-era fliers were nowhere near senior enough to command a major vessel, the navy "drafted" a number of senior, middle-aged line officers to go through flight school and qualify. That is how top WW2 admirals Ernest King, Bill Halsey, Richmond Kelly Turner and John S. McCain got their wings.

Naval Flight Officers (non-pilots) also qualify and are quite common as carrier skippers nowadays. "Back in my day" the battle group commander was also a carrier division commander and so was always an aviation officer as well. They changed that in the '90s so black shoes could also apply.

Black shoe = surface sailors
Brown shoe = aviation

 

[SeerSGB]

Is this Captain Kirk actually a Trek fan?

I wouldn't blame if he wasn't. You know he's had to have gotten plenty of ribbing over the years over his name just cause he's in the navy.

 

[scotpens]

. . . She certainly looks better "in person" than the art ever made he look. I am wondering how stable she is though, considering that her hull is basically the reverse shape of any other ship's hull in existence.

The Zumwalt's hull shape isn't really anything new.

The tumblehome hull sides and reverse-rake or "ram" bow have both advantages and disadvantages.

Wiki article: Tumblehome

 

[ProwlAlpha]

During the US Civil War, there was a COL James T. Kirk, son of George Kirk of Pennsylvania.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Was his general named Robau?

 

[Kenbushway]

Definitely a cool looking ship; especially hearing that it could be fitted with lasers and rail type weapons.

 

[FPAlpha]

Is this Captain Kirk actually a Trek fan?

I wouldn't blame if he wasn't. You know he's had to have gotten plenty of ribbing over the year over his name just cause he's in the navy.

In his place i would have owned this name and do everything in my power to get assigned to the USS Enterprise (but he probably isn't a fan and planned his career realistically ).

Still.. i wonder if he ever used his name in connection with Star Trek, few could resist i believe.

As to the ship.. sure it's the future and it looks very futuristic. I'm especially impressed with the automated control systems reducing crew requirements and amount of people needed to run the ship properly without sacrificing effectivity.

 

[Trekker4747]

As to the ship.. sure it's the future and it looks very futuristic.

Actually, it's the present.

 

[Amaris]

Yep, this ship is being commissioned in less than a year. It looks fantastic.

 

[FPAlpha]

As to the ship.. sure it's the future and it looks very futuristic.

Actually, it's the present.

I meant it's the future of naval warfare.. that's what i get when i assume people can read my mind and what i'm trying to say

 

[publiusr]

Well, I guess it beats being called Dumwalt...Breaking Bad joke in there somewhere...sorta like Deepak Chopra, Tupac Shakur and a Six Pack a beer...

 

[Star Wolf]

CAPT James A. Kirk

Canon violation!!! Everyone knows Captain Kirk's only acceptable middle initials are "T" and "R." I can't imagine how anyone could associate T&A with Captain Kirk.

Its commissioning is a bit of a ways off and a pretty different requirement from commanding destroyers, but it would be awesome if he got command of the next Enterprise. Make it happen, US Navy.

I think that CVN-65 is still commissioned even though she has been retired. we would have a lot more work to do then we did with the space shuttle to get a ship in the current pipeline renamed Enterprise. Captain Kirk missed the window of opportunity.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

CAPT James A. Kirk

Canon violation!!! Everyone knows Captain Kirk's only acceptable middle initials are "T" and "R." I can't imagine how anyone could associate T&A with Captain Kirk.

Its commissioning is a bit of a ways off and a pretty different requirement from commanding destroyers, but it would be awesome if he got command of the next Enterprise. Make it happen, US Navy.

I think that CVN-65 is still commissioned even though she has been retired. we would have a lot more work to do then we did with the space shuttle to get a ship in the current pipeline renamed Enterprise. Captain Kirk missed the window of opportunity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(CVN-80)

 

[Yanks]

CAPT James A. Kirk

Canon violation!!! Everyone knows Captain Kirk's only acceptable middle initials are "T" and "R." I can't imagine how anyone could associate T&A with Captain Kirk.

Its commissioning is a bit of a ways off and a pretty different requirement from commanding destroyers, but it would be awesome if he got command of the next Enterprise. Make it happen, US Navy.

I think that CVN-65 is still commissioned even though she has been retired. we would have a lot more work to do then we did with the space shuttle to get a ship in the current pipeline renamed Enterprise. Captain Kirk missed the window of opportunity.

She will not be decommissioned until she is completely defueled. She's "deactivated" right now.