Is fitting hypersonic missiles to the Zumwalt class meaningless, or can it rescue the ships from failure?
Short answerIt is a practical repurposing that turns the ships into survivable strategic strike platforms able to service distant targets quickly.
NotesZumwalt combines reduced detectability with the power generation and internal space needed to accommodate large missile tubes. Those qualities make it a plausible surface platform for expensive long-range weapons. Hypersonic missiles could strike targets hundreds or thousands of miles away very rapidly. The proposed conversion therefore shifts the ship's emphasis from tactical employment toward strategic strike. Its value depends on using the existing hull's characteristics for that new mission.