Graphic of the planned ship released by the U.S. Navy
WASHINGTON - The US Navy's planned fleet of 15 Trump-class battleships could cost $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 $23.4 billion in 2026 dollars, while subsequent ships, which would be purchased through 2056, would average $18 billion, the CBO said in a report.
In comparison, the USS Gerald R. Ford -- the world's largest aircraft carrier -- cost about $13.3 billion in 2008 dollars, or over $20 billion when adjusted for inflation.
US President Donald Trump announced plans for the new class of warships named after himself -- an honor 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.
Graphic representation of the weaponry that a Trump-class ship would carry. U.S. Navy graphic of the planned Trump-class USS Defiant (BBG-1)
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.
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