Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:02:00-2:02:38

A lower-risk gun path for Zumwalt

An improved Mark 71 eight-inch system could focus on modern ammunition and provide Zumwalt a useful conventional weapon before any railgun matured.

Naval GunneryNaval ProcurementRailgunsUS NavyZumwalt Class Destroyers
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

How could the Mark 71 eight-inch gun be improved for a modern US cruiser?

Short answer

Develop advanced ammunition and use the proven gun as an interim Zumwalt weapon rather than waiting for an immature railgun.

Notes

New ammunition would unlock much of the Mark 71 eight-inch gun's value. Two single mounts derived from the proven system could have given Zumwalt credible conventional fire support from the start. The ship could still retain space and interfaces for a future railgun once that technology matured. This staged approach would field a useful warship without making several unready technologies succeed on the same schedule.