The USS Zumwalt, a destroyer based in San Diego, has arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, probably for a game-changing event in naval warfare. This first-in-class stealth destroyer is slated to become the first American warship armed with hypersonic missiles, a radical upgrade that defense analysts argue will flip the script on modern military strategy.
Hypersonic missiles are notoriously difficult to defend against due to their extreme speed and maneuverability. Such weapons can travel at over five times the speed of sound and provide a quite formidable challenge against opponents. China had already laid claim to hypersonic missiles that could reach American aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific region, including those homeported in San Diego.
The world’s largest and most technologically advanced surface combatant, the USS Zumwalt, is going to be significantly modified in a way that it will be armed with the Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system. This includes a two-stage solid rocket motor booster along with a Common Hypersonic Glide Body housing a kinetic energy projectile warhead. The Navy will start field testing on these hypersonic missiles no later than 2025.
The modernization of the Zumwalt marks a radical shift in its mission profile, from the firing of more conventional weaponry to being equipped with the latest hypersonic technology. This modernization will be installed on the USS Michael Monsoor, another Zumwalt-class destroyer based in San Diego, and Virginia-class submarines.
The quest to turn the USS Zumwalt into a hypersonic missile platform corresponds to the larger strategy of upgrading the U.S. Navy. State-of-the-art electric propulsion and wave-piercing tumblehome hull form, in combination with low-observable features, will enable this ship to become a multi-mission platform able to execute a variety of missions: from deterrence and power projection through sea control and command and control.
Nonetheless, the Zumwalt class does not go scot-free about faults and issues. Articles in the media have highlighted the high price and technical issues during the program. However, the integration of hypersonic missiles would be a critical step toward alleviating those concerns and reestablishing the Zumwalt as one of the most technologically advanced and lethal ships in the U.S. Navy.
It was Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe who pointed out the fact that the upgrade was necessary, saying, “We’re talking about deploying this system on DDG-1000 in 2025, that’s three years from now.” According to the Government Accountability Office, however, the timeline may be quite optimistic—the system could take years longer to have the ship fully deployable.
It means modernizing the USS Zumwalt not only in terms of increasing its firepower but also making it ready for new emerging security environments. Its innovative Integrated Power System and Multi-Function Radar are designed to support high-energy weapons and sensors of the future, thus making the ship a quite formidable force in both littoral and open ocean environments.
With the Navy phasing out older Ticonderoga-class cruisers, Zumwalt-class destroyers are well-positioned to play a crucial role in the future of naval warfare. Hypersonic missile integration would mean an even greater jump in capability, extending the reach of the Navy’s long-range strike and helping it maintain its technological edge as it takes center stage globally.
More for you: