The Trump class would also feature 128 vertical launch cells that can be used for slower-flying Tomahawk cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, or missile defense interceptors. Overall the planned ships would be 100 times more powerful than those World War II-era battleships, Trump said. Trump said Monday the new battleships ships would eventually replace the Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the backbone of the US surface fleet. Schuster says the Trump administration also needs to make some changes in management if it wants the Trump class to be successful. Trump on Monday praised South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, which is investing billions into the Philly Shipyard, which could be building future US Navy ships.

Source: CNN December 23, 2025 15:00 UTC