A hypothetical second flight of Zumwalt is offered as another possible starting point if a new battleship or cruiser proposal does not proceed. It could incorporate Conventional Prompt Strike and additional Mark 41 launchers alongside the 80 Mark 57 cells. One illustrative arrangement adds 64 Mark 41 cells, bringing the total to 144. Whether that change would have secured support for the design remains a counterfactual judgment. The example concerns how familiar equipment and a visible increase in capability can affect comparisons between competing ships.
Notable Point · 1:36:31-1:38:31
A Zumwalt Flight II would still need political touchstones
A hypothetical Zumwalt Flight II with prompt-strike weapons and 144 VLS cells illustrates a proposed alternative to continued Burke development.