New Destroyer, Armed With Lasers and Hypersonic Missiles, Envisioned as Navy’s Future Centerpiece U.S. admirals made the case for the new ship during a virtual conference this week. The U.S. Navy is eyeing a new class of warship to replace its current Arleigh Burke destroyers — ships that can fight by themselves using lasers and hypersonic missiles. This DDG-X is needed, a chorus of admirals argue, to stay a step ahead of Chinese and Russian missile advances. “As our adversaries push farther and farther from their shores, we need a ship that can generate enough power to drive more sophisticated radars, electronic warfare systems and directed energy weapons — a ship that will be able to competently operate inside adversary weapon engagement zones,” Rear Adm. Paul Schlise, who leads the Navy staff’s Surface Warfare Division, said Tuesday.