The Trump-class battleships are more expensive than the Ford-class aircraft carriers.
With projected costs potentially reaching $25 billion per vessel, the Trump-class battleship project is raising significant concerns about its feasibility and budget for the U.S. Navy.
The U.S. Navy is facing significant budgetary and technical challenges in the development of the Trump-class battleships. With an expected displacement of 30,000 to 40,000 tons, these would be the largest U.S. warships since World War II, far surpassing current cruiser and destroyer classes.
Cost and scale analysis of manufacturing
According to military experts, the average cost of building a Trump-class ship is estimated at around $9.1 billion. However, the first ship of this class, the USS Defiant, is expected to cost up to $13.5 billion, equivalent to a Ford-class supercarrier or four Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyers. Including weapons systems and related equipment, the actual price could reach $25 billion.
For comparison, an Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer with a displacement of 9,000 tons currently costs around $2.8 billion. The enormous scale of the Trump-class destroyers demands new shipbuilding methods, including the production of individual modules for assembly. Some sources indicate that South Korea's Hanwha Group may be involved in the construction of the USS Defiant.
Advanced technology and weapon systems
The project is expected to use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the design and configuration of the power system. U.S. Navy leader John Phelan announced that the Trump-class battleships will be equipped with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, marking the return of this type of weapon to surface warships since the end of the Cold War in 1991.
In addition, the ship is expected to integrate next-generation weapon technologies including:
- Conventional Rapid Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile.
- High-powered laser weapon system.
- Electromagnetic cannon (railgun).
Challenges in manpower and tactics
Although building new-generation warships is considered urgent, the Trump-class program still faces considerable skepticism. Currently, the US is experiencing a shortage of suitable personnel for large-scale shipbuilding programs. Furthermore, the US Navy has yet to define the specific tactical missions for this class of ships in its current deployment.
Former U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), believes that building the Trump-class battleships carries extremely high risks. He warns that the program risks being canceled after the actual costs and timelines are determined, potentially wasting billions of dollars in budget.
| Comparison parameters | Trump-class battleship | Destroyer Arleigh Burke Flight III |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 30,000 - 40,000 tons | 9,000 tons |
| Estimated cost | 9.1 - 25 billion USD | $2.8 billion |
| State of technology | Many systems have not been tested. | Completed |
