The US Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.35 billion contract modification to advance the production and integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon system on board the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000). The contract encompasses program management, engineering support, systems integration, procurement of long-lead components, testing activities, and specialized tooling necessary for both missile production and ship integration. Most of the work will be carried out in Denver, Colorado, with completion targeted for September 2032.
The CPS program follows the destroyer’s builder’s trials after undergoing significant upgrades at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding. These modifications included replacing the vessel’s twin 155mm Advanced Gun Systems with four large-diameter 87-inch missile tubes. Each of these tubes is capable of housing three Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) missiles, a shared hypersonic payload being developed for both the US Navy and US Army. Designed for long-range, non-nuclear precision strikes, the CPS system can engage targets at distances exceeding 2,775 kilometers.
The integration of CPS transforms the Zumwalt-class destroyers from their original littoral warfare role into platforms capable of executing long-range strike missions in open-ocean environments. Initial testing aboard the vessel is anticipated between 2027 and 2028, following delays tied to land-based trials. The Navy also plans to extend CPS deployment to other platforms, including the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001), USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002), and Virginia-class submarines.
