Trump's battleship fantasy gets a $275 billion reality check

The United States Navy is widely regarded as one of the world's most powerful and technologically advanced maritime forces. In December, US President Donald Trump announced plans for a new class of warships, called the "Trump Class", describing them as "some of the most lethal surface warfare ships" and the largest battleships in US history. The proposed fleet was projected to cost around $275 billion and was intended to mark the country's biggest battleship programme since World War II.

Nearly nine months later, the ambitious plan has run into major obstacles. A report by the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) raised concerns over the project's soaring costs, construction challenges and overall feasibility. The report questioned whether American shipyards have the capacity to build such massive nuclear-powered vessels.

According to the US Navy's 2027 Shipbuilding Plan, released in May, the Navy aims to acquire 15 battleships, each weighing around 35,000 tonnes, between 2028 and 2056. The CBO estimates the first ship would cost about $23.4 billion, while each of the remaining vessels would cost around $18 billion, significantly higher than earlier estimates based on conventional propulsion. The revised design now calls for nuclear power, driving up the projected cost.

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The report also warned that the programme would place enormous pressure on the US shipbuilding industry. It said the Navy's plan would require shipbuilders to more than double production of large surface combatants by 2035, creating a major industrial challenge.

The CBO noted that the industry is already struggling with delays and budget overruns. Last year, then US Navy Secretary John Phelan told Congress that the Navy's best-performing shipbuilding programme was six months behind schedule and 57 per cent over budget. It also highlighted that the two main builders of US surface combatants continue to face production issues, with Arleigh Burke class destroyers being delivered about five years late on average. Neither of the shipyards currently has the capability to build nuclear-powered surface warships.

The report further said that every new class of warship comes with a steep learning curve, and first-of-their-kind vessels typically take longer to build and cost more than initially expected.

Even if these industrial challenges are overcome, defence analysts continue to question whether investing hundreds of billions of dollars in giant battleships is the right strategy. They argue that modern conflicts in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war have shown that low-cost drones are increasingly shaping naval warfare.