HII Wins $99 Million for Zumwalt Destroyer Sea Trials as CPS Hypersonics Arrive
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding has received a $99 million US Navy contract modification for sea trials of the Zumwalt-class destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002), which is being fitted with the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon. HII announced the award on October 19.
The ship will be the Navy’s second platform equipped with CPS. The Navy also plans to put the weapon on Virginia Block V submarines.
HII Gets the Sea Trials Contract for Lyndon B. Johnson
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Customer | US Navy |
| Contractor | HII Ingalls Shipbuilding |
| Value | $99 million contract modification |
| Scope | Sea trials for Zumwalt-class destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002) |
| Ship location | Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi |
| Arrived at Ingalls | January 2022, for combat-system installation, activation and testing |
| Weapon | Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) |
| Announced | October 19, 2026 |
Brian Blanchette, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, said “our shipbuilders are proud to help deliver DDG 1002 and prepare her for future fleet operations.” The latest award supports the Navy’s phased approach to delivering the ship.
Conventional Prompt Strike Comes to the Zumwalt Class
CPS is a conventionally armed boost-glide weapon designed to penetrate air defences and hit high-value, time-sensitive targets. It uses a two-stage solid rocket booster and a Common Hypersonic Glide Body carrying a kinetic-energy projectile warhead. The weapon is described as the naval version of the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon.
The Zumwalt class has an unusual history. Its electric propulsion and wave-piercing tumblehome hull were built for stealth and for carrying new weapons, and the Navy has since turned to hypersonic missiles to give the three ships a new strike role. Our guide to US Navy destroyers and cruisers covers the class.
| Platform | Type | Status in this report |
|---|---|---|
| Zumwalt-class destroyers | Surface combatant | Lyndon B. Johnson will be the second CPS-equipped platform |
| Virginia Block V submarines | Attack submarine | Planned; no schedule given |
Cost and Quantities Still Draw Attention
The report puts development and fielding costs at about $21.5 billion, with a unit missile cost of around $90 million. The initial requirement was 240 missiles, including 40 for research and development. The research missiles were due to be procured by the end of 2025, and the report does not confirm whether those purchases happened.
At those prices, the question is how many launchers the Navy will actually put to sea. The hypersonic weapons race is covered in more detail in our piece on China’s hypersonic missiles. That reading is analysis, not a company claim.
HII Company Profile
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Newport News, Virginia |
| Founded | 2011 (spun off from Northrop Grumman) |
| Main yards | Newport News Shipbuilding, Ingalls Shipbuilding |
| Known programmes | Aircraft carriers, Virginia-class submarines, amphibious ships, Arleigh Burke destroyers, Zumwalt class |
DDG 1002 and CPS FAQ
What did HII win?
A $99 million Navy contract modification for sea trials of the destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002).
What is Conventional Prompt Strike?
A conventionally armed boost-glide hypersonic weapon built to penetrate air defences and hit high-value, time-sensitive targets.
Which ships will carry CPS?
The Navy plans to fit it to Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia Block V submarines.
How much does a CPS missile cost?
The report puts the unit cost at about $90 million, with development and fielding near $21.5 billion.
When did the ship arrive at Ingalls?
January 2022, for combat-system installation, activation and testing.
- Defence Industry Europe – “HII says Zumwalt-class destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson is receiving CPS hypersonic weapons as Navy awards sea-trials contract” (October 19, 2026): defence-industry.eu
