Pearl Harbor Prepares to Receive Zumwalt-Class Destroyers Equipped With Hypersonic Missiles

The Pearl Harbor base is preparing to host all three Zumwalt-class destroyers armed with hypersonic missiles, as well as up to three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines.

Naval News reported the development.

The move marks a significant shift in the U.S. Navy’s posture as it prepares for a potential confrontation with China.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam is undergoing a coordinated modernization effort to align its infrastructure with the requirements for the large number of new ships and submarines expected to be stationed in Hawaii starting in mid-2028.

According to several documents released by the service and reviewed by Naval News, the construction work at Pearl Harbor-Hickam is intended to prepare berths and dry docks for the docking and repair of Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines.

The modernization of M1, M2, B26, and B24 berths will provide the necessary space and power supply for the full complement of Zumwalt-class destroyers when they arrive in mid-2028.

Additional construction is expected to start in the coming months to equip the dry docks and expand maintenance capacity at the joint base.

Two Zumwalt-class destroyers are currently being upgraded to carry Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) missiles. The third ship is expected to arrive at Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for its upgrade in 2026.

After modernization, the ships will be armed with 12 G-HGB hypersonic missiles and 80 Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The upgrade was also driven by the economic inefficiency of maintaining the original gun systems: the cost of 2,000 rounds for three ships was estimated at between $1.8 billion and $2 billion.

Rising operating costs for the guns were linked to the reduction in the number of Zumwalt-class ships.

All three destroyers will also receive a new electronic intelligence suite, an upgraded maritime data link platform, and integration of SM-6 missiles to enhance their area air defense capabilities.