Destroyer Zumwalt Armed with Hypersonic Missiles to Set Sail for the First Time in 2026

The destroyer USS Zumwalt will complete three years of work to rearm with Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles and will set sail for the first time in 2026.

This was reported by Naval News, citing a statement by US Navy Captain Clint Lawler, head of the Zumwalt-class ship program.

The destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) will be recommissioned in 2026 after three years in dry dock, during which time Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon systems were installed.

The work is reported to have been completed at the end of 2025. In particular, the installation of four launchers, each capable of carrying three hypersonic missiles, was officially completed in November 2025.

Once the work is complete, the ship’s systems will be restored in the near future, followed by a full cycle of testing of the entire CPS system.

To install the new weapons on the ship, both 155 mm Advanced Gun Systems (AGS) artillery mounts, which served as the main caliber, were dismantled. CPS missile launchers were placed in the front turret, and the space occupied by the second turret was used for “other needs.”

Upon its return to service, the USS Zumwalt will be the first ship in the US Navy to be armed with hypersonic missiles.

The CPS modules are virtually identical to those planned for installation on Virginia Block V-class multi-purpose nuclear submarines. Their integration on the Zumwalt allowed the installation technology to be tested to minimize risks during the future installation of these missiles on other platforms.

In addition to the USS Zumwalt, the other Zumwalt-class destroyers — the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and the USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) — will also be upgraded to the same standard in due course.

Work on the second ship undergoing modernization, USS Lyndon B. Johnson, has already begun: the dismantling of the forward artillery mount and other work to “remove” excess equipment has already been completed.

DDG-1002 is scheduled to return to service by the time DDG-1001 enters dry dock in 2027 for scheduled maintenance.

The flight range of Conventional Prompt Strike missiles has not been disclosed. It is known that the system uses a warhead similar to that of the Dark Eagle ground-based hypersonic missile system — C-HGB (Common Hypersonic Glide Bodies).

It was reported that the Dark Eagle “warhead” weighs less than 13.6 kg. At the same time, the main destructive force is provided by the kinetic impact of the hypersonic vehicle. According to the military, the missile is designed to destroy an area “the size of a parking lot.” Presumably, the weight of the warhead indicates that it is essentially an explosive charge designed to “disperse” the striking elements with its explosion so that they hit targets in a given area.

At the same time, the Pentagon expressed doubts about the lethality of the system. Reports emphasized the need to include realistic targets in the tests.