Navy Boosts Zumwalt-Class Destroyers’ Fuel Capacity for Pacific Hypersonic Patrol Missions

The U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyers are set to receive a major refit that will not only prepare them to carry hypersonic missiles, but also extend their range and endurance at sea. Newly released documents show that USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) is slated for a “Fuel Endurance and Range” modification, which will convert existing saltwater ballast tanks into additional fuel storage. The upgrade is also expected to increase the amount of fuel the ship can take on during replenishment, giving the stealth destroyers a longer time on station without needing to return to port.

The changes are part of a broader modernization program tied to the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) effort, which is transforming the Zumwalt class into a sea-based hypersonic strike platform. With greater fuel capacity and endurance, the ships will be able to loiter in contested waters for longer periods, a capability seen as especially important for deterrence missions in the Indo-Pacific, where long distances and limited logistics create serious operational challenges.

Capt. Clint Lawler, program manager for the Zumwalt-class destroyer office, described the class as the Navy’s premier offensive surface combatant, emphasizing its stealth design and integration of long-range precision fires. The first CPS modernization work began in 2023 on USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi, while USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) entered the shipyard in 2025 for its own conversion.

The CPS weapon system was developed jointly with the U.S. Army and is intended to strike targets thousands of miles away on short notice. While the Navy has not publicly detailed the full capability set of its version of the missile, the Army’s related Dark Eagle system has been shown to have a reach of at least 2,175 miles. On the Zumwalt-class ships, the missiles will be deployed from a Large Missile Vertical Launching System installed in place of one of the destroyers’ retired Advanced Gun System turrets. Each of four Advanced Payload Modules in that launcher will carry three hypersonic missiles. The second removed gun mount is being left empty for possible future use.

Originally designed in the 1990s and early 2000s for naval gunfire support, the Zumwalt-class was reduced from a planned fleet of 32 ships to just three due to soaring costs and changing military priorities. Their 155mm guns became too expensive to sustain, and the original mission faded as anti-ship missile threats grew more advanced. Today, the surviving ships are being repurposed for a new strategic role focused on hypersonic strike, with improved endurance adding to their value in a potential conflict with China.