Navy’s Biggest Embarrassment Becomes China’s Worst Nightmare

The U.S. Navy has transformed its troubled $8 billion stealth destroyer into America’s first surface warship armed with hypersonic missiles capable of striking targets at over one mile per second, salvaging a program once criticized as a costly failure.

Story Highlights

USS Zumwalt completes sea trials after three-year modernization, becoming Navy’s first stealth destroyer armed with Mach 5+ hypersonic weapons
Ship now carries 12 Conventional Prompt Strike missiles after removing failed $800,000-per-round gun systems that never fired operationally
Stealth design paired with hypersonic range creates unique advantage in Pacific theater, enabling strikes from beyond enemy defensive reach
Two sister ships USS Lyndon B. Johnson and USS Michael Monsoor scheduled for identical hypersonic upgrades through 2026

From Failure to Strategic Asset

The USS Zumwalt emerged from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi after completing builder’s sea trials in January 2026, marking a dramatic turnaround for a vessel once deemed nearly worthless. The ship’s original twin 155mm Advanced Gun Systems never fired a shot due to ammunition costs reaching $800,000 per round, rendering the primary weapon system impractical. Now equipped with vertical launch tubes housing Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles, the Zumwalt transforms from a coastal support platform into a long-range precision strike destroyer capable of engaging hardened targets at speeds exceeding Mach 5.

Hypersonic Capability Changes Naval Warfare

Each Zumwalt-class destroyer carries four missile tubes containing three CPS missiles apiece, totaling 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. The Conventional Prompt Strike system uses a Common Hypersonic Glide Body developed jointly by the Navy and Army, launching to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere before gliding toward targets with maneuverable trajectories that evade traditional missile defenses. Retired Navy Captain Jerry Hendrix, senior fellow at the Sagamore Institute, describes these vessels as the “Larry Bird ships of the Navy,” comparing their long-range precision to the basketball legend’s three-point shooting ability.

Stealth Design Multiplies Tactical Advantage

The Zumwalt’s angular hull design reduces its radar signature to that of a small fishing boat, allowing operation in contested waters where conventional destroyers face area-denial threats from adversaries. This stealth capability, previously underutilized due to the ship’s weapon limitations, now pairs with hypersonic strike range to create a lethal combination. The vessel can deliver pinpoint strikes from positions far beyond the effective range of enemy defenses, fundamentally altering tactical calculations in potential Pacific conflicts. Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding President, called the modernization “a pivotal milestone” that establishes precedent for the entire Zumwalt class.

Fleet Modernization Timeline Advances

The USS Zumwalt leads a three-ship hypersonic transformation, with sister ship USS Lyndon B. Johnson currently undergoing CPS weapon system integration at Ingalls Shipbuilding. The third vessel, USS Michael Monsoor, awaits scheduled hypersonic upgrades during future maintenance availability. Full operational testing of the new hypersonic capability begins in 2026, with deployment of operational weapons planned for later this year. The Navy’s investment salvages billions in previous spending while establishing America’s first surface-based hypersonic strike capability, addressing concerns about falling behind adversaries in this critical technology domain.

The transformation vindicates those who argued for innovative solutions rather than abandoning the troubled program. What critics dismissed as wasteful spending now positions the United States with a unique naval capability combining stealth, speed, and precision strike at ranges previously unattainable by surface combatants. The three-ship class represents substantial capability enhancement for a Navy facing increasing challenges from peer competitors investing heavily in anti-access systems designed to keep American forces at bay.