Science fiction fans and military enthusiasts, rejoice! 'Star Trek' may be on the way to becoming true--although not in the way you might expect. A brand-spanking new guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy, not even commissioned yet, will be commanded by Captain James A. Kirk (hopefully the distant relative of Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise)!
The ship is the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), named after Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr, who was the youngest man to serve as the Chief of Naval Operations. He was credited with improving enlisted soldiers' lives and relieving racial tension during the Vietnam War. He retired from the Navy after 32 years and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate.
The USS Zumwalt cost around $3.5 billion to build and was laid down November 17, 2011. It finally launched on Octover 28, 2013 and was officially christened April 12, 2014. It has yet to be commissioned into service, but plans are in place to put it into service next year.
