An artist’s rendering of the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), a new class of multimission U.S. Navy surface combatant designed to perform littoral, air and sub-surface warfare. Its christening, scheduled for Oct. 19, has been postponed due to the government shutdown. U.S. Navy photo illustration

The world’s most advanced surface combatant will stay high and dry for the time being, thanks to the government shutdown.

The christening of the future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), which was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Bath Iron Works shipyard, has been canceled and postponed until a future date.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today that the christening of the future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), which was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Bath Iron Works shipyard, has been canceled and postponed until a future date.

“It is incredibly unfortunate that we are being forced to cancel the christening ceremony for this great warship,” said Mabus, “but the ongoing government shutdown prevents us from being able to honor Adm. Zumwalt’s memory with a ceremony befitting his and his family’s legacy of service to our nation and our Navy.”

The ship is named for Navy Adm. Elmo R. “Bud” Zumwalt Jr., who became the 19th Chief of Naval Operations in 1970, and passed away in Durham, N.C., Jan. 2, 2000.

“USS Zumwalt is the Navy’s battlewagon of the 21st century.”

Zumwalt is an entirely new type of ship, transformational in almost every way, from its tumblehome hull to its total ship computing environment to new long-range gun and rocket-guided projectiles. The stealthy Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyers are designed for sustained operations in the littorals and for land attack.

“USS Zumwalt is the Navy’s battlewagon of the 21st century,” said the admiral’s son, Jim Zumwalt.

According to a Navy statement, the Navy is coordinating with the Zumwalt family and General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works to reschedule the event.