As I noted in a previous article on the stealthy Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers (DDGs), Admiral Elmo Russell Zumwalt Jr.’s name is highly revered in the annals of US Navy history, and with good reason.
Elmo Zumwalt was the youngest chief of naval operations in history. Zumwalt was 49 years old when he was appointed to the position in July 1970, and he proved himself more than worthy of the position.
His long list of accomplishments during his four years in office ranged from defending the F-14 Tomcat as a replacement for the F-4 Phantom II; overseeing the creation of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines; the commissioning of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates; and the introduction of so-called Z programs, such as the Z-66 and Z-116, intended to create greater opportunities in the Navy for minorities and women, respectively.
Unfortunately, it has been reasonable to wonder if Zumwalt’s class of warship lives up to his legacy and is worth the taxpayers’ money. However, the Zumwalt now have a chance to redeem themselves thanks to the addition of hypersonic missiles.
Zumwalt class history and specifications
Hard to believe, these ships were meant to take over the role previously played by battleships in fulfilling the Congressional mandate of naval gunfire support.
Appropriately, the first ship in the class is USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), keeled down in November 2011, followed by launching in October 2013, commissioning in October 2016, and official acceptance by the US Navy at its home port of San Diego, California, in April 2020.
Next came the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001), named after a Navy SEAL who fought and died valiantly during the Iraq War and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. This ship entered service in January 2019 and participated in RIMPAC 2022.
Lastly, there is the USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002), launched in December 2018 but still awaiting commissioning.
Specifications for the class include a displacement of 15,907 tons, a hull length of 610 feet, a beam width of 80.7 feet, and a draft of 27.6 feet. As a big plus, the old-school hull design results in a stealthy vessel with radar sections comparable to a fishing vessel.
Twin Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine marine engines propel the Zumwalts through the waves at a top speed of 30 knots (35 mph). The crew comprises 147 officers and ratings, plus 28 in a hypothetical air detachment.
Armament-wise, it starts with two 30mm Mk 46 Mod 2 guns, also known as Mk44 Bushmaster II chain guns. After that, these destroyers carry twenty Mk 57 vertical launch system modules. Each module contains four cells, for a total of 80 launch cells.
The modules can contain the following:
- The Evolved Sea Sparrow missile.
- The Tomahawk cruise missile.
- The RUM-139 vertical launch anti-submarine rocket.
Are they worth their weight in gold, or are they a waste of taxpayer money?
In the following system, the problems begin, both technical and public waste. The BAE-built Advanced Gun System consists of two 155 mm (6.1 in) guns, which on paper are a clear increase in power over the 5 in (127 mm) main guns that have been standard armament of Navy destroyers for many years.
Actually, as my colleague Sebastien Roblin says, “the Zumwalt’s advanced gun system didn’t even work that well, at two-thirds of the intended range (about 70 miles). In addition, its rocket-propelled, GPS-guided LRLAP projectiles cost $800,000 each, almost as expensive as more accurate, longer-range, and more hard-hitting cruise missiles.
Ultimately, the Navy canceled these incredibly expensive munitions, leaving the Zumwalt with two huge guns it can’t fire.” For the future of this class of warships, only three of the 32 originally planned were built. The rest were canceled.
A hypersonic life
Fortunately, hypersonic weapons now give us a reason to take a second look at the Zumwalt class. It’s not too soon, as the Russians and Chinese are wreaking havoc with their own hypersonic missiles. As a Lockheed Martin press release quoted by Naval News on February 18 notes:
“The United States Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth more than $2 billion, if all options are exercised, to integrate the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system into missile destroyers. Guided of the ZUMWALT class.
The CPS is a hypersonic weapons system that allows the flight of long-range missiles at speeds greater than Mach 5, with great survivability against enemy defenses… The combination of the capacity of the CPS, with stealth and mobility of the ZUMWALT-class destroyer, will provide the first sea-based hypersonic attack capability.”
The article concludes by reporting that the Navy plans to test hypersonic fire missiles from the USS Zumwalt in December 2025. Time will tell if the test will help ensure the survival of the Zumwalt class or hasten its demise.
