A refit program slated for the US Navy's three Zumwalt-class stealth destroyers will result in the ships having extended range and endurance to permit longer periods for loitering at sea.
A "fuel endurance and range modification" has been included in the modernisation program of USS Michael Monsoor, the second ship in the class. Under the program, some of Monsoor's existing saltwater ballast tanks will be converted into fuel oil tanks to add to the ship's current capacity.
Another modification planned for the class is the incorporation of facilities that would permit each ship to take on a greater volume of fuel during replenishment.
The navy expects that the extended endurance of the Zumwalt-class destroyers will expand their deterrent capability in critical regions such as the Indo-Pacific.
Monsoor is also set to undergo a "conventional prompt strike" (CPS) refit wherein her original twin 155mm main guns will be replaced with new tubes capable of launching conventional, boost-glide hypersonic missiles. She will be the last in the class to undergo the refit, as that of the third ship, USS Lyndon B. Johnson, is already underway.
Class lead ship USS Zumwalt completed undergoing the CPS refit in late 2025. Her post-refit builder's sea trials were conducted earlier this year by a joint team consisting of the US Navy and Hungtington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division.
