U.S. Congresswoman investigates Navy plan for future hypersonic weapons in Hawaii.

Hawaii Congresswoman Jill Tokuda is seeking detailed clarification on U.S. Navy plans to base hypersonic weapons at Pearl Harbor, including the arrival of all three Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines equipped with Conventional Prompt Strike missiles.

As reported by Hawaii News Now on November 28, 2025, U.S. Congresswoman Jill Tokuda says she is investigating reports that the U.S. Navy plans to base a future arsenal of hypersonic weapons in Hawaii, which could include the future stationing of Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines equipped with CPS missiles by 2030. This basing proposal is part of the U.S. Navy's efforts to shift time-sensitive strike capability toward the Indo-Pacific. Tokuda says local communities require clear information about operational impacts and infrastructure changes connected to the plan.
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U.S. Navy planners now assume that Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons will be part of any serious conflict, as these countries continue to develop their own programs, including hypersonic glide vehicles that may carry nuclear warheads. (Picture source: US DoD)

This Hawaii representative highlighted that the arrival of these weapons would require clear communication with local communities and service members about what the deployment means and how it will be managed. The planned basing is connected to ongoing Navy efforts to integrate CPS missiles on both surface ships and submarines as part of a broader restructuring of time-sensitive strike capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. The initiative includes stationing advanced warships at Pearl Harbor to reduce transit time to potential conflict zones that currently require days of travel from the U.S. mainland. It coincides with continuing tests of hypersonic missiles on the Navy’s most advanced destroyers and with infrastructure upgrades designed to support their arrival. The decision reflects the Navy’s assessment that Hawaii offers a forward position for operations involving CPS weapons. The planned hub is part of larger adjustments in the distribution of U.S. naval forces across the Pacific. Although concerns have also emerged locally due to past military incidents, the overall shift remains several years from full operational implementation.

Representative Tokuda explained that she is formally requesting additional information on the planned arrival of hypersonics and the destroyers carrying them, emphasizing the need to inform residents about what such basing means for communities and servicemembers. She noted that any discussion of these weapons must acknowledge that China is already estimated to have hundreds of hypersonic missiles, which cannot currently be intercepted by existing air and missile defenses. Military specialists have stated that hypersonic weapons present significant challenges due to their speed, maneuverability, and ability to fly at lower altitudes compared to ballistic missiles. Retired Admiral Joe Sestak indicated that although the United States is preparing for CPS deployment, any operational use would likely relate to a blockade or an amphibious operation near Taiwan. He said decisions would need to be made regarding whether CPS strikes should target ports launching landing craft or the warships protecting them. He argued that the current CPS inventory would limit the number of available strikes. He also stated that neither China nor the United States possesses a complete defense against hypersonic weapons. These conditions shape ongoing planning for operations in the western Pacific.

Large-scale modernization projects are underway at Pearl Harbor to support Zumwalt destroyers and an expanded number of Virginia-class submarines, including upgrades to wharves, electrical systems, and dry docks. Work at wharves M1, M2, B26 and B24 is intended to provide the necessary power and berthing capacity for the arrival of Zumwalt-class ships by mid-2028, and a Mobile Utilities Support Equipment substation has already been installed to support the required 4160 volt shore power. Additional permanent electrical installations are planned to replace temporary infrastructure. Separate construction efforts are preparing storage facilities for spare parts and long lead time components for these ships, with work expected to accelerate from 2026 onward. Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is also modernizing Dry Dock 3 and constructing Dry Dock 5 to accommodate all blocks of the Virginia class and the future SSN(X) submarine design. These changes are necessary for intermediate and depot-level maintenance. By around 2030, most submarines homeported at Pearl Harbor will belong to the Virginia class. These adjustments reflect evolving operational requirements.

Zumwalt-class destroyers have undergone significant mission changes as their original purpose as shore bombardment platforms proved unsustainable due to the cost of ammunition for the Advanced Gun System. Their tumblehome hulls, composite structures and high electrical generation capacity remain suited for emerging technologies such as CPS missiles, sensors and potential directed energy systems. Each destroyer is expected to carry around 12 CPS missiles after modernization is complete. The ships are also receiving new datalink capabilities, updated signals intelligence suites, and SM-6 integration to support area air defense. Two destroyers are currently being converted, while the third will enter modernization in 2026. Their Mk 57 launch system accommodates larger missiles than many other U.S. surface combatants and provides space for CPS rounds. The Navy regards these ships as capable of independent forward operations at long ranges across the Indo-Pacific. Their redesign supports both offensive and defensive naval missions. The transition reflects broader changes in the role of advanced destroyers.

Virginia-class submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module will expand undersea hypersonic launch capacity from Hawaii by adding four large-diameter payload tubes capable of carrying 28 Tomahawks or 12 CPS missiles. USS Arizona (SSN 803) and USS Barb (SSN 804) will be the first submarines with VPM, with Arizona projected for commissioning in 2027 and Barb following later. Both are likely to be homeported at Pearl Harbor based on current planning since their design features match the Navy’s requirements for Hawaii. The submarines will support long-range strike operations using either cruise missiles or hypersonic weapons, depending on mission needs. Between two and three VPM-equipped submarines are expected in Hawaii by 2030, joining the three Zumwalt destroyers for a total inventory of fewer than 60 CPS missiles. Admiral Sestak noted that this number would not be sufficient by itself to stop a large amphibious invasion, and that the Navy would prefer more redundancy and larger stocks of such weapons. He emphasized that network integrity remains important to ensure missile effectiveness. The combination of submarines and destroyers forms the core of the planned hypersonic hub.

Offensive programs are only half of the picture, because U.S. planners now assume that Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons will be part of any serious conflict, as these countries continue to develop their own programs, including hypersonic glide vehicles that may carry nuclear warheads. Hypersonic weapons are defined as maneuvering systems traveling at speeds of at least Mach 5 and include glide vehicles boosted by rockets and air-breathing cruise missiles powered by scramjets. U.S. efforts through CPS, the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, the Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon, and the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile focus on conventional payloads, which demand greater accuracy. Funding for hypersonic research has fluctuated, with requests reaching several billion dollars annually and parallel investments in hypersonic defense systems. Current U.S. air and missile defenses provide limited protection against maneuvering hypersonic missiles due to detection and tracking challenges. Development of new defensive technologies such as naval railguns and high-energy lasers is ongoing. Proposed approaches include space-based sensor layers and upgrades to command and control systems. These efforts reflect continuing technical and operational requirements.

Several Native Hawaiian activists have expressed concern about the basing of hypersonic weapons, citing past environmental and public health issues such as the 2021 Red Hill fuel spill. They argue that Hawaiians continue to experience effects from previous military activity and question the addition of new weapon systems with high strategic importance. They view the basing plan as part of a longstanding pattern of increased militarization and have criticized what they see as insufficient consideration of local objections. Representative Tokuda has stated that any Navy action regarding hypersonics or submarines in Hawaii must involve clear communication to explain what the deployment means and how risks will be addressed. Strategically, Pearl Harbor’s transformation into a forward hub for time-sensitive strike missions is intended to reduce reaction times in crises across the Indo-Pacific. The hub is expected to enhance reach and survivability, but is limited by finite missile stocks and emerging countermeasures. The impact of this concentration of advanced weapons in Hawaii will depend on future operational use and regional developments.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.