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U.S. NAVY complement to destroyers. The Navy sees frigates as handling:

Aircraft Carriers: convoy escort, Anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction,

No Retreat from Big Deck Power homeland defense, counter-drug operations and surface war-

Despite years of debate over carrier survivability in a mis- fare in lower-threat environments. This is a familiar concept, sile-saturated battlespace, the aircraft carrier remains central. but the urgency is sharper now. The Navy is looking for hulls

The plan includes: that can be produced at scale, freeing destroyers for higher- • $22.3 billion across FYDP end combat missions.

• Acceleration of CVN 82 from FY30 to FY29 • Advance procurement for CVN 82 and CVN 83

Battleships • Continued construction of CVN 80 and CVN 81

One of the more eye-raising parts of the plan is the in-

The Navy’s position remains unchanged: aircraft carriers troduction of a next-generation Battleship (BBGN) program. are still the centerpiece of global power projection.

The Navy proposes procurement of three nuclear-powered battleships across the FYDP. This is not nostalgia, rather the

Amphibious Forces:

Navy frames the platform as a large, survivable combatant de-

Reinvestment with a New Shape signed for:

The amphibious ? eet receives some of the most aggressive • High-volume long-range ? res recapitalization in the plan. Across FY27-FY31, the Navy pro- • Hypersonic weapon integration poses the following, which re? ects both legacy expeditionary • Theater nuclear weapons capability requirements and newer distributed littoral warfare concepts • Massive power generation for future systems • 5 LPDs • Electronic warfare • 2 LHAs • Directed energy weapons • 23 Medium Landing Ships (LSMs) • Advanced naval gun? re • Sea-based command-and-control capability

LHA and LPD

Whether the program evolves exactly as described remains to be

Traditional amphibious assault and transport dock ships re- seen, but the strategic message is unmistakable: the Navy believes main foundational to ARG/MEU operations. The report reaf- larger, power-dense surface combatants still have a role in con? ict.

? rms the congressionally mandated minimum of 31 amphibi- ous warfare ships.

Submarines:

Strategic Priority Number One

Medium Landing Ship

If surface warfare re? ects adaptation, submarines re? ect ur-

The LSM is arguably the most operationally transformative gency. The Navy plans to invest $124.9 billion across FY27- amphibious investment. Smaller, more numerous, and intended

FY31 in submarine construction, making undersea warfare for distributed operations, the platform supports Marine Corps one of the dominant pillars of the shipbuilding strategy. force design concepts built around littoral maneuver and expe- ditionary mobility. For shipbuilders, the scale is signi? cant: 23

Columbia-Class SSBN hulls planned across the FYDP.

The sea-based nuclear deterrent remains non-negotiable.

This is explicitly identi? ed as the Department’s top acquisi-

Logistics and Auxiliary Ships tion priority. The Navy plans:

Warships dominate headlines, but logistics support is the crit- • 1 Columbia-class submarine in FY27 ical backbone to any enduring mission. To that end, the Navy • 5 across the FYDP plans $15 billion across FYDP for auxiliary recapitalization. • $62 billion investment

Planned procurement includes: • 7 John Lewis-class T-AO oilers

Virginia-Class SSN • 7 strategic sealift ships

The Navy also plans: • 2 hospital ships • 2 Virginia-class attack submarines in FY27 • 5 ocean surveillance ships • 10 across the FYDP • 1 next-generation T-AOL logistics ship • $62.9 billion investment

This is more than recapitalization, rather it re? ects recogni-

The industrial challenge here is in focus. The report stresses tion that distributed naval operations across the Paci? c cannot workforce growth, distributed production, supplier expansion, function without serious logistics modernization. Interest- and digital manufacturing reforms to hit the target production ingly, the plan suggests some logistics enablers could initially rate of one Columbia and two Virginias annually. leverage overseas shipyard construction.

34 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • June 2026

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