The destroyer saw its two 155mm Advanced Gun Systems removed to receive new missile tubes for the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon system.
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division successfully undocked USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the lead ship of the U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt-class of guided missile destroyers, taking the ship one step closer to testing and returning to the U.S. Navy fleet.
“In partnership with the Navy we are steadfast in our commitment to complete this complex work that adds significant hypersonic capability to Zumwalt,” HII President and CEO Chris Kastner said. “We are proud to support the incorporation of the conventional prompt strike for the Navy.”
The undocking marked the completion of significant modernization work at Ingalls since the ship arrived at the Pascagoula shipyard in August 2023. Shortly after its arrival, the ship was put back on land in order to receive technology upgrades including the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system. The Ingalls team also replaced the original twin 155mm Advanced Gun Systems on the destroyers with new missile tubes.
Zumwalt-class destroyers feature a state-of-the-art electric propulsion system, wave-piercing tumblehome hull, stealth design and is equipped with the most advanced warfighting technology and weaponry. These ships will be capable of performing a range of deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions while allowing Navy to evolve with new systems and missions.
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Naval News comments:
USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) arrived in Mississippi in August 2023 to begin a two-year modernization period and receive technology upgrades including new hypersonic missile tubes. The tubes will each hold three Common Hypersonic Glide Bodies (C-HGB) – hypersonic missiles being developed jointly between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy – for a total of 12 missiles on the ship.
The C-HGB is part of a Department of Defense effort to field multiple conventional prompt strike platforms that can strike targets anywhere in the world with no warning.
The first 155mm Advanced Gun System (AGS) turret was removed from Zumwalt in May this year:
The U.S. Navy also plans to upgrade Zumwalt sister-ships USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) at HII Ingalls.
