Hypersonic warships, subs at US’ Pearl Harbor to counter China threat

The U.S. Navy is undertaking a significant modernization initiative by repositioning advanced warships and submarines to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to counter China’s expanding military influence in the Pacific. By 2030, Pearl Harbor will become the home base for the Navy’s first hypersonic-armed surface and undersea fleet, featuring ships equipped with the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon—the Navy’s first sea-launched hypersonic missile. This strategic move aims to reduce response times to potential conflicts near Taiwan and the South China Sea, enhancing deterrence and rapid power projection in a highly volatile region. Infrastructure upgrades at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam are underway to support these advanced platforms, including three Zumwalt-class destroyers and several Virginia-class submarines armed with CPS missiles. The Zumwalt-class destroyers, originally designed for stealth and shore bombardment, have been repurposed as hypersonic strike platforms due to their advanced hull design, composite structures, and substantial