A lower-risk route to a new U.S. surface combatant

Should the U.S. Navy prioritize a Super Hornet replacement, a major surface combatant, or the Virginia class?

The major surface combatant should come first, using proven Arleigh Burke systems with Zumwalt's hull and power plant to reduce development risk.

The major surface combatant is chosen as the most urgent of the three options. The proposed route combines the newest Arleigh Burke equipment with the Zumwalt hull and power plant. Each side of that combination has already demonstrated useful capability, reducing the number of unknowns in the program. Moderate expansion would still be possible, while the concept begins from tested components instead of a clean-sheet leap.