For years, the U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyers got heads turning with their space-age design, but critics too frequently questioned their mission. The three ships—USS Zumwalt, USS Michael Monsoor, and USS Lyndon B. Johnson—were perceived as pricey experiments, ambitious but struggling to find value for the cost. That is changing. With hypersonic missiles now being added, these ships are transforming into some of the most powerful surface strike platforms in the Navy’s inventory.
When the Zumwalt-class was originally envisioned, the aim was a new class of multi-mission destroyers with a heavy land-attack focus. The ships boasted a revolutionary tumblehome hull, composite superstructure, and cutting-edge stealth sensor systems. They were initially designed to mount two massive 155mm Advanced Gun Systems, but skyrocketing ammunition budgets had the AGS program cancelled, leaving the destroyers weaponless and with a questionable operational purpose.
Those concerns dissipated when the Navy proceeded with the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile system. It took much more to install the system than just deleting the forward turret. Shipyard crews were forced to gut compartments below deck, stiffen the bow, install bulkheads, and redesign spaces to fit four huge launch tubes.
Three hypersonic missiles can fit inside every 87-inch-diameter tube in an Advanced Payload Module. The first ship to be refurbished and redeployed from dry dock in late 2024 was USS Zumwalt, with the new launch bays fully installed.
The CPS system—and its corresponding Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) variant for alternative platforms—is a major advance in missile technology. The boost-glide projectiles fire into the upper atmosphere at speeds of greater than Mach 5, then glide toward their targets while executing evasive maneuvers.
The combination of speed, agility, and uncertainty makes them very hard to defend against. Combined with the stealth and mobility of the Zumwalt, CPS provides the Navy with a long-range strike capability to deter or neutralize high-value targets before they can react.
The Navy and Army both utilize the same glide vehicle design. The Army uses it as the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), while the Navy deploys it aboard Zumwalt-class destroyers and plans to integrate it on Virginia-class submarines. Each vessel can carry up to 12 missiles, capable of striking more than 1,000 nautical miles away—far beyond the reach of traditional cruise missiles. This enables attacks deep within hostile territory or highly defended sea areas while remaining safely outside of engagement ranges.
The strategic benefit is considerable. Hypersonic missiles condense the enemy’s response time to minutes, cut through advanced air defenses, and make precision attacks prior to targets having the opportunity to respond. For the Navy, that renders the Zumwalt-class an extremely versatile attack weapon, capable of attacking priority targets in contested areas where traditional ships would be vulnerable.
Getting to this capability has not been smooth sailing. Initial missile tests showed there were technical issues, and the complex shipyard work needed careful planning. Paying attention to modernization sometimes came at the expense of being ready for battle. Installing CPS on USS Lyndon B. Johnson, for instance, stretched its timeline by two years. USS Zumwalt will lead the first live-fire tests of the sea-launched version, with her sisters following.
In spite of the difficulties, the findings are dramatic. Hypersonic missiles have provided the Zumwalt-class with a second lease on life, turning ships that were previously considered limited into advanced spearheads of naval warfare. With lots of electrical power, stealth configuration, and versatile architecture, these destroyers are now poised to carry CPS missiles and advanced systems of the future.
As the Navy perfects this capability, the Zumwalt-class destroyers are poised to project power from the seas. With stealth, speed, precision, and toughness, they now possess a clear mission and the capability to thrive in the toughest maritime environments.