Lockheed Martin secures contract worth potentially $2 billion to install Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile launchers on three U.S. Navy Zumwalt-class destroyers by mid-2020s Did.
When the Zumwalt-class was conceived, it was intended as a “21st century destroyer” to meet the needs of the U.S. Navy in a changing world. Unlike previous destroyers, the Zumwalt is a technological marvel that incorporates all sorts of advanced systems inside her tumbledown hull for stealth, so it won’t look out of place in future films, but the fishing boat’s radar her It had a profile of
Not only is the Zumwalt bigger than other destroyers, it’s larger than most cruisers and can pack a battleship’s long-range firepower. But it was the role that really made Zumwalt’s concept stand out. It was a multi-mission warship role that could be used in coastal waters to support land operations, and could also move to blue waters for surface, anti-aircraft, and other purposes. task.
The problem was that the Zumwalt project was plagued with controversy by then. USS Zumwalt Launched in 2016. Delays in production, cost overruns that resulted in her US$8 billion price tag per ship, embarrassment that a class vessel broke down in the middle of the Panama Canal, and questions about its design resulted in only three of her ships being built. It was not. Of the planned 32 under construction.
For years, the Zumwalt-class has had a dubious reputation as a missionless three-ship, but a new Lockheed contract makes it the first to carry CPS ground-launched, sea-based hypersonic attack missiles. becomes a ship. Capable of controlled flight at speeds in excess of Mach 5, they are fast enough to penetrate modern air defense systems and possess enough inertial energy to destroy targets on impact alone.
Under the agreement, Lockheed and subcontractors Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics Mission Systems will supply launcher systems, weapons controls, platform integration, and an integrated missile component, the All Up Round (AUR). Offers.
In addition, Lockheed will supply the U.S. Army with AUR and canisters for Long Range Hypersonic Weapons (LRHW). A common AUR means that hypersonic missiles can be launched from ships, submarines, ground-based mobile launchers, and other platforms.
Steve Lane, vice president of Hypersonic Strike Weapon Systems at Lockheed Martin, said: “Early design work is already underway, and our team looks forward to supporting the fighter by providing more options to further protect America at sea.”
Source: Lockheed Martin
