USS Zumwalt operating in 7th fleet in potential first deployment

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U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Burghart

The U.S. Navy’s USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) stealthy guided-missile destroyer recently departed Guam after making a brief port call starting on September 19. A corresponding announcement released by the Navy that same day explained that this is the first time the USS Zumwalthas pulled into Guam and that the vessel will now "continue operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region." Based on this announcement, it appears that the highly advanced destroyer may be marking its first operational deployment, although we are awaiting confirmation from the Navy, which did not answer the question directly in their response to The War Zone's initial inquiry.

“USS Zumwalt is conducting operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet,” Lt. Mark Langford, U.S. Navy spokesperson, said in a statement to The War Zone. “Integrating Zumwalt into fleet operations, as well as with allies and partners, is an important step for the DDG 1000 class and for the Navy. Zumwalt class destroyers maximize stealth, size, power, and computing capacity – fielding an array of weapons systems and cutting-edge technologies to fight forces in the air, on and under the sea, and on land.”

The War Zone has reached back out to the Navy to try and confirm that this is officially USS Zumwalt’s first operational deployment, but has yet to hear back.

Navy's Stealth Destroyer May Be On Its First Operational Deployment

The USS Zumwalt is now operating as part of the Navy's forward-deployed 7th Fleet and the service says its conducting "fleet operations."

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