Trump-class Battleship To Cost Over $17 Billion More Expensive Than An Aircraft Carrier
The U.S. Navy has revealed that the first Trump-class battleship (USS Defiant, BBG-1) will cost north of $17 billion, with three ships totaling more than $43 billion, according to official budget documents.
Former Navy Secretary John Phelan, speaking at the Sea-Air-Space 2026 exposition in Maryland, described the figure as an “early, initial estimate,” adding that costs will be further rationalized as the design process advances with two competing vendors.
Key specifications released so far:
▪ Armed with laser turrets, a railgun, and capacity for hypersonic and nuclear weapons
▪ Crew of at least 650 sailors
▪ Length between 260–270 meters slightly longer than the legendary Japanese battleship Yamato
▪ Nuclear propulsion still under consideration
▪ Construction (keel-laying) targeted for 2028
For context, the cost exceeds that of a Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, estimated at $13.3 billion for the lead ship making the Trump-class one of the most expensive individual warships ever proposed.
The program, formally designated BBG(X), was unveiled in December 2025 as part of the administration’s “Golden Fleet” naval expansion initiative. The Navy is currently requesting $1 billion in advance procurement and $837 million in R&D funding in its FY2027 budget request.
Critics, including members of Congress, have raised concerns about cost and industrial base capacity, while Navy leadership argues the vessel addresses capability gaps no existing destroyer or cruiser can fill.
Source: Axios | USNI News | The War Zone