Navy Hypersonic Missile Installation on Zumwalt Destroyers Two Years Behind Schedule

The U.S. Navy's effort to install hypersonic missiles on three Zumwalt-class destroyers is two years behind schedule, the Government Accountability Office reported. The service decided in 2022 to equip the ships with Conventional Prompt Strike boost-glide missiles after the original 32-ship program was reduced to three vessels.

Two destroyers have been delivered, while the third is scheduled for 2028. Missile flight testing originally set for 2025 has been moved to 2027 because of funding shortfalls, testing challenges, and unplanned work on the lead ship. The USS Zumwalt stood 94 percent complete with the required updates as of January 2026 yet continues to fall behind due to additional cabling and other modifications not anticipated in the initial design.

The Navy and Army together are investing more than $50 billion in the joint Conventional Prompt Strike program. A 2020 Navy estimate projected $31 billion for 262 missiles; the current estimate stands at $41 billion for 224 missiles. Lockheed Martin, the missile-body prime contractor, operates a factory capable of producing six or seven rounds per year rather than the planned 12.

The services manage investment decisions largely separately even though the Army produces the glide body used by both programs. The Army conducted its own consultant study on production increases while the Navy oversees missile-body manufacturing. GAO auditors noted that this division creates potential for added delays and inefficient use of funds.

Quality issues have also slowed output. Problems include heat-resistant coatings, substandard parts, and work instructions written as engineering specifications that recent high-school and vocational graduates find difficult to follow. The Army's land-based Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon uses a hot-launch system, while CPS relies on cold-gas ejection, yet the two programs share the same glide body.