The US Navy is retrofitting a retired stealth destroyer, the USS Zumwalt, with the first-ever ship-based hypersonic missile system. The USS Zumwalt is currently stationed at a Mississippi shipyard, where the US Navy is installing missile tubes at the bow of the vessel, replacing inactive gun turrets that were never activated. The retrofitted ship is poised to become a key player in the US’s efforts to counter hypersonic weapons developed by Russia and China.
Hypersonic missiles, which travel at speeds of Mach 5 or higher, present a significant challenge to current missile defense systems, which can struggle to intercept them. The US is also competing with Russia and China to develop and implement new hypersonic weapons technologies.
The development of the USS Zumwalt comes as Russia and China continue to advance their own hypersonic capabilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use hypersonic missiles against Ukrainian government buildings in Kyiv, and has demonstrated his country’s ability to target Western-made missiles.
The USS Zumwalt’s retrofit will allow the US to expand its ability to defend against hypersonic threats, and is seen as a key step in the US’s efforts to counter burgeoning threats from Russia and China.