US Navy Developing First Sea-Based Hypersonic Strike Capability for Zumwalt-Class Destroyer.

According to information published by the United States Department of Defense on May 30, 2025, Lockheed Martin has received a contract modification valued at up to $1 billion to continue the development of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon system. This contract is intended to equip Zumwalt-class destroyers, and later Virginia-class submarines, with a rapid and precise strike capability that does not rely on nuclear warheads.
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The Conventional Prompt Strike program is a strategic initiative led by the U.S. Navy in cooperation with the U.S. Army to develop a boost-glide hypersonic weapon capable of engaging long-range targets at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (Picture source: US DoD)

The official notification specifies that the funding covers program management, technical development, systems integration, procurement of long-lead materials, and the production of specialized tools and equipment required for missile and launch platform manufacturing. An initial tranche of $140 million will be drawn from the U.S. Army’s research and development budget.

The Conventional Prompt Strike program is a strategic initiative led by the U.S. Navy in cooperation with the U.S. Army to develop a boost-glide hypersonic weapon capable of engaging long-range targets at speeds exceeding Mach 5. The missile features a two-stage solid rocket booster developed by Northrop Grumman and a Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) built by Dynetics. The launch mechanism uses a cold gas ejection system followed by engine ignition and in-flight maneuvering through thrust vector control. This configuration avoids predictable trajectories and reduces vulnerability to interception, even by advanced missile defense systems. The CPS uses a non-explosive kinetic warhead, designed to deliver targeted destruction through impact energy, minimizing collateral effects.

The CPS program is structured into three main phases. The first, initiated in 2019, focuses on rapid prototyping and has included multiple Joint Flight Campaigns (JFC) aimed at validating the missile and system components under mission-relevant conditions. Campaigns JFC-1 through JFC-5 are part of this phase. While some tests encountered anomalies or were aborted due to pre-launch issues, corrective actions have been implemented, and additional tests are planned for 2024. The second phase targets deployment aboard Zumwalt-class destroyers, and the third involves full integration aboard Virginia-class submarines under the Major Defense Acquisition Program (Milestone C). A long-term life-cycle support plan is expected to be finalized in 2024 to sustain the systems once fielded.

Parallel to the naval application, the U.S. Army is developing a ground-launched version of the CPS under the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) program, also known as Dark Eagle. This system shares common components with the naval version, including the All-Up-Rounds (AUR) and command subsystems. Lockheed Martin, as the primary weapon systems integrator, works alongside Northrop Grumman, Dynetics, General Dynamics Mission Systems, and other specialized contractors such as VTG, which provides engineering services, and X-Bow Systems, which supplies motors for the AURs. In February 2022, tests conducted with General Atomics at Wallops Island, Virginia, validated the performance of Autonomous Flight Termination Units (AFTUs) to ensure missile flight safety during hypersonic test campaigns.

Despite delays, the program is moving forward. In December 2024, HII confirmed that the USS Zumwalt had been returned to the water following modifications at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, enabling it to host the CPS system. The first live missile launch from a ship is now projected for sometime between 2027 and 2028. Once operational, the CPS will represent the United States' first sea-based hypersonic weapon system, described by officials as a conventional weapon with strategic implications. The current contract is scheduled for completion by August 31, 2028.

The CPS missile will provide the United States with a high-speed, high-precision strike capability from both overt and covert platforms, enhancing its operational flexibility in a competitive technological landscape involving China and Russia. Its integration marks a significant shift in U.S. conventional strike doctrine, emphasizing speed, range, and precision without the use of nuclear payloads.