US Navy retrofits USS Zumwalt with first shipborne hypersonic missile system

The U.S. Navy is retrofitting the USS Zumwalt destroyer with its first shipborne hypersonic missile system. This development comes as the Zumwalt was previously viewed as a costly mistake due to its inactive gun turrets. The retrofit involves installing missile tubes at the front of the ship, replacing the unused gun turrets. Hypersonic missiles are significant in modern warfare because they travel too fast for most defense systems to intercept. This move is part of the U.S. effort to enhance its military capabilities amid competition with Russia and China in hypersonic technology.