Navy’s problems with the Zumwalt may be hurting its hypersonic weapon efforts
The Pentagon's top weapons tester says the service has "limited flight test opportunities" to support putting a hypersonic weapon onboard the Zumwalt class.
By Justin Katz and Andrew Eversden on January 27, 2022 at 2:20 PM
The Navy cut its buy of Zumwalt-class destroyers from nearly three dozen to three. The decision may become a problem for testing the service’s premiere hypersonic weapon. (U.S. Navy/Liz Wolter)
WASHINGTON: A new problem may be emerging for the Navy’s stealthy class of destroyers: there’s not enough of them to quickly test the service’s premiere hypersonic weapon.
“The Navy intends to execute phase 2 operational demonstrations, but limited flight test opportunities pose a risk to demonstrating the required operational capability in support of the fielding of the hypersonic missile system onboard a Zumwalt-class surface combatant,” according to the Pentagon’s top weapons tester, known as the director of operational test and evaluation, or DOT&E.
That office publishes an annual report every January summing up the developmental testing statuses of the Pentagon’s high-profile weapon systems. The report often excludes sensitive details due to security concerns, but still provides an inside look at the difficulties each program is facing.
https://breakingdefense.com/2022/01/navys-problems-with-the-zumwalt-may-be-hurting-its-hypersonic-weapon-efforts/
