WASHINGTON: The US Navy’s planned fleet of 15 Trump-class battleships could cost US$275 billion to build, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Wednesday, making them among the most expensive American warships ever.
The first of the nuclear-powered battleships would cost about US$23.4 billion in 2026 dollars, while subsequent ships, which would be purchased through 2056, would average US$18 billion, the CBO said in a report.
In comparison, the USS Gerald R Ford – the world’s largest aircraft carrier – cost about US$13.3 billion in 2008 dollars, or over US$20 billion when adjusted for inflation.
US president Donald Trump announced plans for the new class of warships named after himself – an honour usually reserved for leaders who have left office – in December 2025.
They will be heavily armed, carrying anti-air and land-attack missiles, hypersonic weapons, nuclear cruise missiles, lasers and a railgun, CBO said.
The Trump-class ships will be substantially larger than existing US destroyers and cruisers, but their projected displacement is somewhat smaller than the last American battleships – from the Iowa class – which were retired in the 1990s.
Washington has fallen significantly behind Beijing when it comes to the number of ships in its navy, and a report to Congress last year noted that US military officials and other observers are concerned by the pace of China’s shipbuilding efforts.
