Zumwalt: from 32 planned ships to three

The original U.S. destroyer program that led to the Zumwalt class envisioned 32 ships; ultimately only three were procured. The GAO describes the interaction between rising costs and a shrinking class: unique development and systems had to be supported for fewer ships. This raises average program cost per unit, rather than meaning the hull alone cost that amount. A universal “$8 billion per ship” figure is misleading without a cost scope and year.