US Navy Wants Triple-Packed Hypersonic Missile Modules On Its Stealthy Zumwalt Destroyers

[F-22Raptor]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1372943283098386436

 

[F-22Raptor]

The U.S. Navy is now officially looking into what it would take to arm its Zumwalt class stealth destroyers, also referred to as DDG-1000s, with hypersonic missiles. The service has also now disclosed that it is looking to field these missiles loaded into an Advanced Payload Module, or APM, that has "a three-pack configuration."

The Navy's Strategic Systems Program (SSP) office issued the so-called "sources sought notice" on March 18, 2021. This kind of announcement is intended to get companies to submit proposals in order to see what kind of options might be available to meet certain requirements, but is not automatically a prelude to a formal contract. SSP is better known as being responsible for managing the development, acquisition, and sustainment of the Trident D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile and the service's Ohio class ballistic missiles submarines, or SSBNs, as well as work on the forthcoming Columbia class SSBNs.

"SSP is currently assessing the means to implement the goals set in the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to integrate hypersonic technologies with the Zumwalt class destroyers," the Navy's contracting notice says. "SSP is seeking input from industry to determine if there are sources with the facilities and proficiency required for executing the following capabilities."

The requirements include integrating the various components of the Navy's Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) weapon, including the triple-packed APM and the necessary fire control systems, onto the service's DDG-1000s. Contractors also need to submit proposals for how they would support expanding production of IRCPS components, as well as related items that are common between those weapons and the U.S. Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW).

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...le-modules-on-its-stealthy-zumwalt-destroyers