US Navy plans to acquire 15 Trump-class battleships by 2055
Kyiv • UNN
The US Navy plans to acquire 15 Trump-class battleships by 2055. The cost of a single ship will be $14.5 billion, which is more expensive than modern aircraft carriers.
The U.S. Navy plans to acquire 15 new Trump-class battleships by 2055, although previously only three ships were discussed. This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to the long-term shipbuilding plan approved by Congress, according to UNN.
Details
According to the document, the first ship of the new class is to be delivered to the fleet in 2036. The second and third battleships are expected in 2038 and 2039, with two more in 2041 and 2043.
Battleships could become the most expensive warships in history
According to U.S. Navy estimates, each Trump-class ship will cost at least $14.5 billion. For comparison, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, which is still considered the most expensive U.S. warship, cost approximately $13 billion.
The first three ships are already included in the Navy's five-year budget plan, which provides for $43.5 billion in funding.
The program may be reviewed after the elections
Bloomberg notes that the implementation of the program is not guaranteed. The U.S. Navy's 30-year plans are traditionally considered ambitious, and Donald Trump's proposed increase of the 2027 defense budget to $1.5 trillion may face resistance in Congress.
Furthermore, the Trump-class battleship program is closely associated with the current U.S. President. In the event of a change in control of the House of Representatives or a Democratic victory in the 2028 presidential election, the project could face the threat of reduction or cancellation.
The Navy speaks of a shipbuilding crisis
Acting Secretary of the U.S. Navy Hung Cao stated after the release of the plan that the country is at a "strategic inflection point," and restoring American maritime dominance requires "urgency and sustained commitment."
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In the document itself, the Navy acknowledges systemic problems in U.S. military shipbuilding. The plan states that the problem is "structural" and related to approaches to procurement, planning, and risk management.
As of now, the American fleet consists of 291 combat ships. By 2031, the Navy expects to increase this number to 299, although the official requirement for the fleet is estimated at 355 ships.