Four decades after the disappearance of battleships, the United States aims to resurrect these ocean monsters.
No one expected this project in the 21st century, yet Trump managed to surprise us once again by announcing his intention to provide the American army with a giant from another era – a battleship. While this ship may be larger, more powerful, and more spectacular than anything existing today, it seems destined for failure.
For nearly a century, battleships have been the flagship of major navies. These steel giants were designed to withstand and deliver heavy blows, with thick armor and cannons capable of firing shells over 30 kilometers. However, advancements like guided missiles, modern submarines, and carrier-based aviation rendered these behemoths vulnerable and expensive.
The announcement on December 22, 2025, revealed plans for a new class of battleships, the Trump class, envisioned to be 100 times more powerful than their predecessors. This BBG(X) class would weigh over 30,000 tons and be equipped with missiles, directed energy weapons, and potentially nuclear capabilities.
With a price tag of up to $17 billion for the first ship and subsequent ones costing between $11 to $13 billion, the U.S. Navy plans to invest $43.5 billion over five years. However, critics point out that this project exhibits the same pitfalls as previous failed programs, including exorbitant costs, unrealistic timelines, and strategic incoherence.
Moreover, the shift in modern naval warfare towards distributed lethality contradicts the concept behind the Trump class battleships. Instead of concentrating firepower on a single massive vessel, the current strategy favors multiple interconnected platforms to mitigate risks.
The industry’s inability to keep pace, coupled with a shortage of skilled labor in naval construction, further complicates the feasibility of this ambitious project. Many experts doubt that these battleships will ever sail, citing a changing political landscape and the evolving nature of warfare.
In summary, the return of battleships seems out of touch with the realities of modern naval combat. The Trump class battleships may end up as costly relics of the past, symbolizing the challenges of implementing grand military projects.
Sources: – U.S. Naval Institute, Navy wants to buy “Trump-class” battleship in FY 2028 – Center for Strategic and International Studies, Golden fleets: a battleship that will never sail – Trump-class battleship (Wikipedia), Trump-class battleship
Image credit: Illustration of the USS Defiant (BBG-1) project by the US Navy for the Trump class battleship concept.
