The USS Zumwalt, a first-of-its-kind stealth destroyer, is poised to undergo a significant modernization process that will see the warship equipped with cutting-edge hypersonic missiles.
As the initial American warship to be equipped with this powerful technology, the Zumwalt’s update is not only an improvement of its abilities but a clear change in its mission profile.
Defense analysts have highlighted the challenge that hypersonic missiles pose to adversaries, given their high maneuverability and capacity to travel at speeds surpassing Mach 5. These attributes make the missiles nearly impossible to intercept, making them a strategic game-changer in modern warfare.
The USS Zumwalt upgrade involves replacing the twin 155 mm Advanced Gun Systems with four missile tubes capable of housing a total of twelve Common Hypersonic Glide Bodies (C-HGB).
The C-HGB is a crucial component of the Department of Defense’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system, intended for swift, long-range strikes against targets worldwide, giving the U.S. a surprise strike capability.
The Navy, aiming for the USS Zumwalt to be deployment-ready with the new weapons system by 2025, also plans to modernize its sister ships, the USS Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B. Johnson, at the same shipyard.
The introduction of hypersonic weaponry is a shift from the Zumwalt’s originally intended role, which was to provide close support to troops onshore with its now-cost-prohibitive Long-Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) artillery shells.
The re-envisioning of the Zumwalt-class destroyers’ purpose speaks to a strategic pivot towards blue-water capabilities and a response to evolving global threats.
The inclusion of hypersonic missiles on the Zumwalts and future Virginia-class submarines is a direct answer to this growing challenge, ensuring that U.S. naval assets maintain a competitive edge.
Initially heralded as a leap forward in naval technology, the destroyers encountered numerous issues, from equipment malfunctions to cost overruns.
The lead ship, USS Zumwalt, experienced a breakdown in the Panama Canal shortly after its commissioning in 2016. The USS Michael Monsoor, a sister ship, encountered issues during sea trials.
These obstacles resulted in the termination of the broader program, halting the construction of additional vessels in this category beyond the initial trio.
However, the Zumwalt-class destroyers are not fading into obscurity. The proposed inclusion of the CPS hypersonic missile system might serve as a lifeline, reviving the previously discontinued destroyer class and offering a crucial upgrade to the Navy’s arsenal.
While the Government Accountability Office has raised concerns about the readiness of hypersonic weapons for the planned modernization timeline, the Navy is determined to surmount these obstacles.
The successful incorporation of hypersonic missiles onto the Zumwalt-class destroyers could mark a new beginning for these ships, elevating them to a pivotal asset for future U.S. Navy operations.