Construction on the US Navy’s first Zumwalt-class destroyer DDG 1000 has been marked by the keel-laying at the General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine, US.

DDG 1000 programme manager captain Jim Downey said: "Keel-lying is just the first of many important milestones and events in bringing Zumwalt to life."

The Zumwalt-class destroyer is a next-generation, guided-missile naval destroyer and features a low radar profile, an integrated power system and a total ship computing environment infrastructure.

The destroyer is fitted with a wide range of weapons and is designed for surface warfare, anti-aircraft and naval fire support. DDG-1000, the first vessel in the Zumwalt series, is more than 60% complete and is expected to be delivered in 2014.