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U.S. Navy pushes back hypersonic missile integration on Zumwalt-class destroyers by two years

The U.S. Navy’s effort to install hypersonic missiles on three Zumwalt-class destroyers is now about two years behind schedule. The delay has been attributed in part to issues tied to Zumwalt’s hybrid-electric power plant and other factors that have set back the ships’ anticipated return to the fleet.

Discovered 2026-07-17T12:50:10.674040-07:00 | 2026-07-17T12:50:10.674040-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

A two-year slip in hypersonic missile integration directly affects when the Navy can field—at scale—its next-wave strike capability on three Zumwalt-class destroyers.
The delay is tied to ship-specific integration constraints (not just program management), including problems associated with Zumwalt’s hybrid-electric power plant, raising execution risk for follow-on modernization.
Cost and schedule pressures implied by the “expensive effort” underscore potential knock-on impacts to defense spending and contractor delivery priorities across hypersonic weapons integration work.

Reported By

Military Times insidedefense.com Defense Scoop DefenseNews.com The War Zone Navy Times