Service Leaders Endorse Larger Hull Size For Advanced Capabilities
The US Navy is seeking to develop new Trump-class battleships due to limitations with its current destroyer fleet. According to Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, the service’s top surface warfare officer, the current Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are ‘maxed out’ and unable to accommodate additional systems. The new battleships will feature advanced capabilities, including hypersonic weapons and electronic rail guns. Construction is expected to begin in the early 2030s, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating a potential price tag of up to $21 billion for the initial vessel. This development was first reported by Breaking Defense.