The Zumwalt-class was designed as a multi-mission surface combatant for land attack and littoral operations with a mission of supporting both ground campaigns and the joint/naval battlespace.

Michael Monsoor has a crew size of approximately 148 officers and sailors; she can make speed in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).

[12] The keel laying and authentication ceremony for Michael Monsoor was held at the General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works shipyard on 23 May 2013.

[14] On 4 December 2017, Michael Monsoor had problems with the complex electrical system which ended builders' trials early and forced the ship to return to the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine.

[5] Michael Monsoor was delivered to the Navy in April 2018,[16] and commissioned on 26 January 2019, at Naval Air Station North Island.