By Kris Osborn, Warrior
(Washington DC) The USS Zumwalt stealthy destroyer will soon be armed with hypersonic missiles able to strike targets from thousands of miles at five times the speed of sound, an attack possibility likely to hold even the most advanced adversaries at risk. This introduces new tactics, offensive attack options and concepts of operation for maritime warfare
The Navy’s plan to arm the Zumwalt-class with hypersonic missiles emerged some years ago, and technological progress is now giving shape and context to the tactical advantages associated with their deployment. The warships will be armed with a hypersonic glide vehicle released from a weapon known as Conventional Prompt Strike, a long range precision missile intended to hold any target in the world at risk of an ultra-long-range, high-speed missile attack. As a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle weapon, the CPS will launch an aerodynamic, lethal projectile up to the boundary of the earth’s atmosphere with a booster and then enter a glide phase wherein a lethal hypersonic projectile uses its speed of descent to glide into or destroy a target at hypersonic speed.
Stealthy Zumwalt
Years ago US Naval Sea Systems Command published an essay stating that the stealthy, curved USS Zumwalt appeared as a “small fishing boat” to enemy radar. Sure enough, the hull of the ship is smoothly curved to avoid sharp edges or protruding structures more likely to generate a return signal to enemy radar. An ability to launch hypersonic missile attacks while “hidden” or obscured from view presents a significant tactical advantage. It could introduce an element of surprise while also improving survivability. This could expand the concepts of operation for the Zumwalt class, a small group of high-tech destroyers initially envisioned for land attack missions.
Hypersonic Glide Vehicles
The CPS has been in development through a collaborative effort with the US Army initiative to build the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, as both integrate a Common Hypersonic Glide Body. This common projectile, described as an “all up round,” integrates differently into each weapon to enable a long-range, maneuverable projectile. Its maneuverable flight trajectory makes it much more difficult to track and intercept than a standard ballistic missile which follows a predictable parabola-like trajectory. The pure speed of an HGV makes it quite difficult to target as well, given that it transits from one radar aperture or field of view to another so quickly that radar defense systems are challenged to develop a “continuous” target track. Unlike an air breathing Scramjet which uses sustained rocket propulsion to sustain hypersonic speed, an HGV uses the purse speed of its descent to strike targets. Typically, HGVs can have much longer range than scramjets and are able to “maneuver” in flight, a key reason why the US Navy envisions long-range strike and deterrence concepts for its CPS. Most of the maneuvering of an HGV is pre-programmed prior to or at launch, and many of them can use GPS or an inertial measurement system for guidance. US developers of the LRHW and CPS are also already anticipating the next-generation of hypersonic weapons attack and working on a software “tech insertion” designed to enable an HGV to hit “moving” targets.
Deter Chinese Hypersonics
The arrival of sea-launched hypersonic weapons is potentially critical to the deterrence equation, given the known progress of the People’s Liberation Army in the realm of hypersonics. The PLA is known to operate the DF-17 hypersonic weapon and a sea launched YJ-20 which has been tested several times. Also, the Chinese-government backed Global Times newspaper published an essay last year stating that an air-launched YJ-21 variant of this weapon has been carried on an H-6 bomber. Added to this, China recently showed a group of new hypersonic weapons during its parade that had not been seen publicly before. China’s YJ-20 was shown during the recent public parade, and cited in the Chinese communist party’s Global Times newspaper, yet the display also included a YJ-15, YJ-17 and YJ-19. The YJ-19 shows an air inlet which appears to support an air-breathing scramjet type of technology, yet much is unknown about the emerging elements of China’s hypersonic arsenal.
Hypersonic offense & defense
There is a two-fold dynamic associated with the concepts of operation of great relevance to the arrival of CPS on Zumwalt destroyers. Moving forward, it seems conceivable that ship-launched hypersonic weapons could be used for defensive purposes to help stop, blunt or slow down an incoming salvo of ballistic and hypersonic weapons. This is significant given that there has been a concern that the PRC might seek to exploit an advantage in hypersonic weapons to create a hypersonic threat “bubble” within which opposing forces could not operate. Such a strategy could potentially support a surprise attack on Taiwan, given the PLA’s known arsenal. Should the US Navy develop a comparable hypersonic attack capability, it could very well function as a deterrent.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University