The U.S. Navy's new shipbuilding program has officially confirmed for the first time what has long been unofficially suggested: that the $17.5 billion Trump-class corvette will be nuclear-powered.
This was reported in a USNI News article.
The U.S. Navy's 2026 shipbuilding plan states: "The nuclear-powered battleship is designed to greatly enhance the fleet's firepower by increasing cruising range and speed, and the ability to deploy the modern weapons systems necessary for modern warfare."
The US Navy explained that the new battleship must provide heavy bombardment over long distances and serve as a reliable and survivable forward command and control platform.
It is planned to purchase 15 new "Trump" class barges over the next 30 years.
The new battleships are expected to be the largest and most expensive warships in the history of the U.S. Navy. Their displacement will range between 35,000 and 40,000 tons, making them three times heavier than modern destroyers. In addition to nuclear power, the new battleships will be equipped with hypersonic missiles, an electromagnetic railgun, laser weapons, and 128 multi-purpose launchers for various types of missiles.
Many experts express doubts about the feasibility of this program, especially in light of the overcrowding of American shipyards and the lack of recent experience in building nuclear surface vessels of this size in recent decades.
