Zumwalt-class stealth destroyer program deemed a failure
By The BriefBrief
The Zumwalt-class fleet collapsed to three ships due to cost and gun ammunition issues.
WHO:19FortyFive
WHAT:Analysis criticizing the Zumwalt-class stealth destroyer program for high costs, limited ship count, expensive gun ammunition, and a fix involving hypersonic missiles.
WHEN:Jul 14, 2026 at 6:53 PM ET
WHERE:USA
WHY:The program’s costs collapsed the fleet to three ships and the 155mm gun ammunition was not bought, with a later fix using hypersonic missiles that cannot be reloaded at sea.
How this story developed (showing 2 of 2 earlier reports)
