The US Navy plans to equip the Zumwalt destroyers with hypersonic glider missiles. According to Naval News, they will replace 155-millimeter guns that have never fired. The first "Zumwalt" will begin to be refitted in fiscal year 2024.
According to the Zumwalt project, three ships were built: the lead ship of the same name, the Michael Mansur and the Lyndon Johnson . The first two destroyers of the US Navy have already been received, and the third is undergoing sea trials.
"Zumvalts" are designed in the concept of more electric ships. They are equipped with gas turbine units and generators that power electric motors and on-board systems. With a length of 190 meters and a width of 24.6 meters, the displacement of the destroyers is 15.7 thousand tons. They can reach speeds of up to 30 knots.
Of the weapons, the Zumvalts have 20 Mk. 57 VLS launchers for 80 missiles, two 155-millimeter cannons and two Mk.46 anti-aircraft guns of 30 mm caliber. Ammunition was developed for 155 mm caliber installations for several years, but all projects were closed due to the high final cost of shots. That's why they never fired.
U.S. Navy Lieutenant Lewis Aldridge confirmed at the end of October that the Zumwalt destroyers will be equipped with hypersonic gliders. Before that, the military mentioned this possibility in the budget request for 2021. In particular, we are talking about two-stage launch vehicles of the CPS project. They will have to lift the C-HGB hypersonic glider and accelerate it to hypersonic speed. Then the device will undock from the carrier and plan to the target.
According to Alridge, the integration of missiles with hypersonic gliders on the first "Zumwalt" will begin in fiscal year 2024. It is unknown exactly how many such missiles each destroyer will carry. They will take the place of two 155-millimeter guns. The military does not plan to fill the remaining space with other launchers yet.
The US military plans to place missiles with hypersonic gliders not only on the "Zumwalts". Earlier we wrote that they will be equipped with multipurpose submarines of the Virginia type.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva
