Why restarting Zumwalt production would cost like a new program

Could the United States build more Zumwalts with Arleigh Burke-style guns and radar while reserving space for later upgrades?

It could, but reconstructing the abandoned production system would cost nearly as much as proceeding with the next-generation destroyer.

The proposed restart would use Zumwalt hulls with Arleigh Burke-style guns and radar while reserving space for later upgrades. In the panel's assessment, rebuilding the production infrastructure would make that nearly as expensive as proceeding with the next destroyer program. The comparison also notes the increasing displacement of the proposed successor. The discussion favors continued construction and gradual adaptation as the opportunity lost when the original production system was dismantled.