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‘100 times more powerful’: All about ‘Trump-class’ battleships that will lead US' Golden Fleet
The US Navy will lead the design of the new 'Trump-class" battleships, said Donald Trump. It is aimed at strengthening the US naval base dominance.
In a move to strengthen US defence and increase scrutiny on defence contractors over production, President Donald Trump has announced plans for a new "Trump-class" of battleships. These battleships will be “100 times more powerful” according to Trump, and would form the centrepiece of what he has called the expanded Golden Fleet.
The battleships will be heavily equipped with advanced technologies and aim to modernise a fleet that has suffered years of cost overruns and delays, Reuters reported.
Here is all about the ‘Trump-class’ battleships:
What are Trump's class battleships
The ‘Trump-class’ battleships will be a new class of heavily armed warships that will be part of the expanded Golden Fleet. The program will initially have two vessels and is expected to grow further between 20-25 ships, with the first ship to be christened as the USS Defiant.
Features of the new battleships
According to Trump, the new battleships would be larger, faster and "100 times more powerful" than any previously built warship.
The ships will weigh more than 30,000 tons, making them larger than the current ones and equipped with advanced technology, including artificial intelligence and directed energy lasers.
Along with the conventional weapons, the new battleships will be equipped with nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missiles, U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan reportedly said.
While announcing the launch of battleships, Trump said that the country has not built a battleship since 1994. These cutting-edge vessels will be some of the most lethal surface warfare ships ... other than our submarines," Trump was quoted as saying.
Why is Trump introducing warships
The new ‘Trump-class’ is a part of the White House's push towards modernising a fleet that has suffered years of cost overruns and delays. It will reportedly cement US naval base dominance.
Trump, who has earlier criticised the appearance of US warships, said that he will be personally involved in the design as well. He said that the US Navy will lead the design of the ships. "The US Navy will lead the design of these ships alongside me because I’m a very aesthetic person,” Bloomberg quoted Trump as saying.
Addressing defence delays and overruns
Along with the naval expansion, the Trump administration will also pressure defence contractors to increase their spending on production. Trump will meet with a major defence firm next week to address these delays and overruns.
These moves come as Trump and the Pentagon have been complaining about the expensive, slow-moving nature of the defence industry in the country.
Trump's plan to strengthen the defence also includes expanding other war vessels, including the introduction of a new, smaller class of frigates previously announced by the Navy, Trump said.
