Overview
- The president announced a new large-surface combatant line named the Trump Class USS Defiant, with two ships targeted in roughly two and a half years and a long-term goal of about 20 to 25 vessels.
- Navy materials describe ships of roughly 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes with SPY-6 radar, 128 vertical launch cells, hypersonic Conventional Prompt Strike missiles, nuclear-capable cruise missiles, and potential electromagnetic guns and lasers.
- Trump said each ship would cost about $10 billion to $15 billion and claimed performance far exceeding past battleships.
- Defense experts cite strained U.S. shipyards, workforce shortages, and immature technologies, forecasting development more likely to take four to six years or longer.
- Navy leaders endorsed the program as the centerpiece of the Golden Fleet following a defense budget exceeding $900 billion, while critics highlight the unusual decision to name a class after a sitting president.