Last Friday, the University of Tennessee's National Defense Business Institute (NDBI) issued a special report entitled, "The U.S. Navy¹s Destroyer Acquisition Plan: Examining Options for Acquiring DDG-1000 and DDG-51 Destroyers to Meet Maritime Capability Requirements".

This independent assessment of the United States Navy's plans to modernize the nation's fleet of destroyers provides a factual foundation and a comprehensive analytical baseline for future decisions on the best path forward in meeting current and future Seapower needs.

It's worth careful reading.

Among the report's most significant findings are:

1. DDG 1000 Zumwalt Destroyer "Best Choice" for Future Surface Combatant

"Given our analysis of the requirements, the DDG-1000 enhanced to be BMD capable and with a higher power (+15dB) radar is the best choice for a destroyer acquisition program in the future. The research supports an acquisition plan that would add BMD-capable DDG-1000 destroyers to the fleet in numbers that exceed the three DDG-1000s that the Secretary of Defense proposed..."  (Source: NDBI Study, p. 7)

2. DDG 1000 Zumwalt Most Affordable Option with "Greatest Operational Flexibility"

DDG 1000 "will provide the highest capability against current and near term threats due to its low observable characteristics and radar power and performance, and provides the greatest capacity for upgrades in order to adapt to potential future threats (e.g. higher power radar, future weapons systems, etc.). This ship also provides the greatest operational flexibility, and provides clear contributions to advancements in shipbuilding design and production, as well as to the next generation of surface combatants."  (Source: NDBI Study, p. 37)

3. DDG 1000 Zumwalt Destroyer: Superior Survivability Capabilities

When the DDG-51 and DDG-1000 are compared with respect to the threat environment, the DDG-1000 with its stealth characteristics combined with the Anti-Air Warfare capability, Peripheral Vertical Launch System (PVLS), its comparable Anti-Submarine Warfare features, and its advanced radar and mission systems, would be significantly more survivable. (Source: NDBI Study, p. 6)

4. DDG 1000 Empowers the 21st Century Shipbuilding Workforce

The DDG-1000 destroyer creates a stronger and more stable shipbuilding industrial base.... The DDG-1000 manufacturing reliance on the greater use of composites and more technologically sophisticated materials creates a workforce with skills more likely to be needed in future Navy ship construction. (Source: NDBI Study, p. 6)

For a copy of the complete report, go to: NDBI Destroyer Study