When Jason Mitchell first heard the news about the USS Zumwalt, he couldn’t believe it. The Navy machinist had worked on those massive 155mm gun systems for months during the ship’s construction back in 2016. “We called them the thunder makers,” he told his wife over dinner. “Those guns were supposed to be the future of naval warfare.”
Now, nearly a decade later, Jason’s watching news reports about his old project heading back to sea in 2026 – but without the very weapons he helped install. The irony isn’t lost on him, and it perfectly captures one of the most dramatic military pivots in recent memory.
The USS Zumwalt’s story mirrors the rapidly changing face of modern warfare, where yesterday’s cutting-edge technology can become tomorrow’s museum piece faster than anyone imagined.
America’s Most Expensive Destroyer Gets a Complete Makeover
The USS Zumwalt gun systems removal represents more than just a technical upgrade – it’s a complete philosophical shift in naval strategy. After spending three years in dry dock, the Navy’s most futuristic destroyer is emerging as something entirely different from what designers originally envisioned.
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Captain Clint Lawler, who oversees the Zumwalt-class program, recently revealed the scope of these changes at the Surface Navy Association’s 2026 symposium. The transformation has been nothing short of revolutionary.
“We’re essentially rebuilding this ship from the inside out,” Lawler explained during his presentation. “The Zumwalt is becoming our first operational hypersonic missile platform.”
Where those distinctive 155mm Advanced Gun Systems once sat, engineers have installed launch tubes for 12 Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles. These weapons can travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 and strike targets thousands of miles away in minutes rather than hours.
What’s Actually Changing on the Zumwalt
The USS Zumwalt gun systems overhaul involves far more than simply swapping weapons. Here’s what the Navy has accomplished during this massive refit:
- Complete removal of both 155mm Advanced Gun Systems and their ammunition handling systems
- Installation of 12 vertical launch tubes for Conventional Prompt Strike missiles
- Upgraded power systems to support hypersonic weapon operations
- New command and control systems for missile targeting and launch
- Enhanced cooling systems to manage the heat generated by hypersonic weapons
- Structural reinforcement to handle the stress of hypersonic launches
The engineering challenges have been immense. Navy contractors had to essentially gut the forward section of the ship while maintaining its stealth characteristics and structural integrity.
| Original Configuration | New Configuration |
|---|---|
| Two 155mm Advanced Gun Systems | 12 Conventional Prompt Strike missile tubes |
| Long Range Land Attack Projectiles | Hypersonic glide vehicles |
| Range: 63 nautical miles | Range: 1,000+ nautical miles |
| Speed: Mach 2.5 | Speed: Mach 5+ |
| Cost per round: $800,000 | Cost per missile: $40 million |
“The original gun systems were impressive, but they became obsolete before we could even use them effectively,” noted defense analyst Dr. Sarah Chen. “Hypersonic missiles give the Zumwalt a completely different role in modern naval operations.”
Why the Navy Abandoned Its Original Gun Vision
The decision to remove the USS Zumwalt gun systems wasn’t made lightly. The Advanced Gun Systems represented years of development and hundreds of millions in investment. But several factors made their removal inevitable.
Cost became the primary killer. Each specialized shell for the 155mm guns carried an $800,000 price tag – making them too expensive for regular use. The Navy originally planned to order thousands of rounds, but budget constraints limited purchases to just a few dozen.
Meanwhile, potential adversaries developed new threats that made the original gun concept less relevant. China and Russia invested heavily in long-range anti-ship missiles, pushing naval combat beyond the 63-mile range of Zumwalt’s guns.
“Modern naval warfare has moved beyond line-of-sight engagements,” explained Admiral (retired) Tom Harrison. “Ships need to strike targets from hundreds or thousands of miles away to stay relevant.”
The hypersonic missile solution addresses these challenges directly. Each Conventional Prompt Strike missile can hit targets over 1,000 miles away in under 30 minutes, giving the Zumwalt unprecedented reach and responsiveness.
What This Means for Naval Warfare and Taxpayers
The USS Zumwalt gun systems transformation signals a broader shift in military priorities. The Navy is betting that hypersonic weapons will dominate future conflicts, particularly in the Pacific where distances between potential targets span thousands of miles.
For taxpayers, this change represents both good and bad news. On the positive side, the Navy is adapting existing assets rather than building entirely new ships. The Zumwalt’s stealth characteristics and advanced power systems make it an ideal platform for hypersonic weapons.
However, the total cost of the Zumwalt program continues to climb. Originally budgeted at $3.3 billion per ship, the total program cost now approaches $25 billion for just three vessels. The hypersonic missile conversion adds another $2.5 billion to that total.
The implications extend beyond budget concerns. Other nations are watching closely as America deploys its first operational hypersonic naval platform. Russia and China have their own hypersonic programs, setting up a new type of arms race.
“This is really about deterrence,” noted former Pentagon official Michael Rodriguez. “Having hypersonic weapons at sea changes the strategic calculus for any potential adversary.”
The Zumwalt’s new role also affects crew training and operations. Sailors must learn entirely different skills for managing hypersonic weapons compared to traditional naval guns. The complexity of these systems requires more specialized technical personnel and extensive training programs.
For the broader defense industry, the Zumwalt’s transformation validates the shift toward hypersonic weapons development. Companies investing in this technology can expect continued government support and funding.
FAQs
Why did the Navy remove the USS Zumwalt’s main guns?
The 155mm Advanced Gun Systems became too expensive to operate, with each shell costing $800,000. The Navy decided hypersonic missiles offered better value and capability.
When will the USS Zumwalt return to active duty?
The ship is scheduled to leave dry dock and return to operational status in 2026 after completing testing of its new hypersonic missile systems.
How many hypersonic missiles can the Zumwalt carry?
The converted ship can carry 12 Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles in vertical launch tubes where the gun systems used to be.
How fast are the new hypersonic missiles?
The Conventional Prompt Strike missiles travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (over 3,800 mph) and can strike targets over 1,000 miles away in less than 30 minutes.
Will the other Zumwalt-class ships get the same conversion?
The Navy plans to convert all three Zumwalt-class destroyers to carry hypersonic missiles, making them the first operational hypersonic-armed surface ships in the fleet.
How much did this conversion cost?
The hypersonic missile conversion program costs approximately $2.5 billion across all three Zumwalt-class ships, adding to their already substantial price tag.