Future Warship 'Zumwalt' Completes Upgrade, Returns to Service in September with New Hypersonic Missiles

The U.S. Navy's most advanced warship, the Zumwalt (DDG 1000), is set to be recommissioned in September after undergoing significant upgrades at HII shipyard since August 2023. The primary focus of this overhaul is the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon system, signaling a new era for American naval power.

To accommodate the new weaponry, the Zumwalt has had its two 155mm Advanced Gun Systems (AGS) removed. In their place, four large missile launch tubes have been installed. Each tube can house three Conventional Rapid Strike (IRCPS) hypersonic missiles, allowing the ship to carry a total of 12. This upgrade makes the Zumwalt the U.S. Navy's first surface combatant equipped with hypersonic strike capabilities.

Beyond the missile systems, the Zumwalt is also receiving enhancements to its fuel capacity and range, alongside routine maintenance. This marks the first time the DDG-1000 class's integrated power system, which boasts a massive 78MW generation capacity comparable to a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has been fully shut down and restarted. However, the complex system experienced equipment failures during construction, and extensive cable reconfiguration was required, leading to project delays.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the U.S. Navy allocated an additional 230,000 work hours and $20 million in budget for these upgrades. Consequently, the total refit cost for the three Zumwalt-class destroyers has increased from $1.8 billion to at least $2 billion. Future ships in the class, the Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B. Johnson, will undergo similar modifications, with the latter expected for delivery in April 2027.

The IRCPS missiles share technology with the U.S. Army's "Dark Eagle" system, utilizing a rocket booster paired with a hypersonic glide vehicle. This combination allows for high-speed maneuvering within the atmosphere, significantly complicating enemy detection, tracking, and interception efforts. These weapons are considered crucial for penetrating air defense systems and striking high-value targets in future conflicts. Despite these advancements, Lockheed Martin currently produces only six to seven IRCPS missiles annually, falling short of the 12 needed to sustain the production line. The overall lifecycle cost for Navy hypersonic missiles has also risen, from an estimated $31 billion in 2020 to $41 billion in 2024, with the procurement quantity reduced from 262 to 224 missiles.