U.S Navy To Procure 15 Battleships By 2055 & 80 Robot Boats In Next 5 Years

The Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan, released on Monday, outlines an effort to purchase 15 battleships by 2055 and also gives details about the 80-plus robot boats that the Navy aims to add in the next 5 years.

“Our success will be measured by one metric: a larger, more capable fleet, manned and unmanned, ready to defend our homeland and project power globally,” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao mentioned in the report’s foreword.

The 2027 update of the plan provides new information regarding the Navy’s vision for a 450-ship fleet by 2031, including 299 warships, 68 auxiliary ships, and 83 unmanned vessels, which would include medium unmanned surface vessels and extra-large unmanned underwater vessels.

The Navy wants to strike a balance between high-end platforms and autonomous systems.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said that success depends on a “larger, more capable fleet” ready to project global power.

The most striking detail in the plan is the procurement of 15 new “Trump-class” battleships (BBG(X)) by 2055, with three slated for purchase within the next five years.

These nuclear-powered vessels will replace the next-generation destroyer (DDG(X)) program.

However, experts have warned of several difficulties and challenges, the first of which is cost.

Though the report estimates around $43.5 billion for the first 3 ships, analysts suggest the lead ship alone could reach $20 billion due to nuclear propulsion and advanced tech like railguns and high-power lasers.

Additionally, the current shipyards lack nuclear certification, and assembly might require Newport News Shipbuilding, which is already at capacity with carrier and submarine production.

The Navy has plans to use its three Zumwalt-class destroyers as a technological bridge to the new battleship class.

The plan also integrates unmanned systems to create a “high-low” force mix. By 2031, the Navy aims to have 83 unmanned vessels, including 47 Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels (MUSVs) for rapid prototyping and serial production.

It also plans to get 16 Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), through its $1.1 billion in funding through 2031, to enhance subsea capabilities.

The fleet goal for 2031 includes 299 warships, 68 auxiliary ships, and 83 unmanned vessels. To achieve this, the report called for a five-fold increase in distributed shipbuilding across multiple sites and even using foreign yards of allies to supplement domestic production.

Analysts are sceptical regarding the long-term viability of the plan. Eric Labs of the CBO notes that this plan is significantly more expensive than previous iterations.

Furthermore, Bryan Clark suggests that projected sustainment costs only account for inflation, ignoring the massive overhead of maintaining a fleet that is 33% larger.

“Future Navy leaders will likely need to retire ships to reduce sustainment costs,” Clark warned.

The navy also plans to acquire 66 frigates by 2056.