Article

2022-03-22 Science & Technology

Navy to Retrofit 3 New San Diego-Based Warships to Launch Hypersonic Missiles

[Times of San Diego] The Navy plans to replace the giant guns on three futuristic San Diego-based warships with launchers for new hypersonic missiles.

The USS Zumwalt and USS Michael Monsoor are already in San Diego, and the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson will be based here as well.

According to the nonprofit United States Naval Institute, plans are to remove the two 155mm guns from each destroyer and replace them with missile tubes for the Common Hypersonic Glide Body being developed for the Army, Air Force and the Navy

Few details have been released, but the hypersonic missiles are expected to fly at 17 times the speed of sound to attack targets nearly 2,000 miles away. Unlike ballistic missiles, they will be maneuverable in flight to avoid anti-missile systems.

San Diego-based General Atomics is one of the defense contractors working on the hypersonic program.

Russia and China claim to already have working hypersonic missiles, although U.S. officials say the ones reportedly used against Ukraine were actually traditional ballistic missiles launched from aircraft.

Posted by Frank G 2022-03-22 06:51|| || Front Page|| [12 views ] Top

#1 to attack targets nearly 2,000 miles away

Isn't that a little 'off-mission'?

Posted by Skidmark 2022-03-22 07:34|| 2022-03-22 07:34|| Front Page Top

#2 Given the test results, I'm surprised we have any that work.
Or are they building the platforms on the assumption the missiles will be ready by the time the ships are ready?
Or are the missiles ready now and just wrapped in competent military/government secrecy....naw, that's just crazy talk.....

Posted by Mercutio 2022-03-22 07:43|| 2022-03-22 07:43|| Front Page Top

#3 How many gun rounds vs how many missiles will it take to provide shore bombardment, which was supposed to be the mission for those guns? Of course, that is assuming that you would ever get the ammunition for those guns, which nobody was manufacturing, and would be prohibitively expensive.

The Zumwalts are an answer in search of a question that nobody asked except for defense contractors and their pet congressmen. Should simply upgrade the Arleigh Burkes with the gains from the research done for the Zumwalts, and buy more of them.

Posted by Chealing Chomotle4158 2022-03-22 07:53|| 2022-03-22 07:53|| Front Page Top

#4 Some good work on the Zumwalts here. I saw one underway a couple of years ago. I hadn't realized just how big those suckers are until I saw one.

Posted by Matt 2022-03-22 09:42|| 2022-03-22 09:42|| Front Page Top

#5 Well, they are trying to apply lessons learned. Only time will tell.

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-22 09:44|| 2022-03-22 09:44|| Front Page Top

#6 Of course, both the Fitzgerald and the McCain are Burkes. Having a great ship doesn't mean much if the bridge crew is so dysfunctional that they can't avoid a freighter.

Posted by Matt 2022-03-22 09:56|| 2022-03-22 09:56|| Front Page Top

#7 Who cares if they can't compare to the old Rocks and Shoals requirements, nor the old Bluejackets manual from a couple of decades ago? All that matters these days is social justice. The admirals in the pentagon make sure those destroyer officers obey orders to get vaxxed, and most importantly, they use the correct pronouns! That's what matters to them.

Posted by Chealing Chomotle4158 2022-03-22 19:27|| 2022-03-22 19:27|| Front Page Top

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