The US Navy has released a three-decade shipbuilding plan aimed at expanding its fleet beyond 450 vessels in the early 2030s while overhauling acquisition practices and rebuilding the maritime industrial base.
The force currently operates 291 battle force ships, below the legally mandated requirement of 355, with officials attributing stagnant fleet growth since 2003 to rising costs, program delays, and shifting requirements despite increased spending.
Solutions will build on a budget request for fiscal year 2027 valued at $65.8 billion.
“The United States is at a strategic inflection point, and rebuilding American maritime dominance requires urgency, accountability, and sustained commitment,” Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said.
“This Shipbuilding Plan provides a roadmap for the Golden Fleet, to grow a larger, more capable Fleet while revitalizing the industrial base, strengthening our workforce, and ensuring our Sailors and Marines have the platforms they need to defeat any adversary for decades to come.”
Surface, Underwater, and Autonomous Fleet Expansion
The US Navy’s plan for fiscal 2027 to 2031 allocates $77.8 billion for surface combatants, including seven Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyers, three next-generation Trump-class (BBGN) nuclear battleships, and four frigates.
It also plans to invest $124.9 billion in submarine construction, including five Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and 10 Virginia-class attack submarines, while targeting an annual production rate of one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines by fiscal year 2031.
Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier program will receive $22.3 billion through 2031, including accelerated procurement of Gerald R. Ford-class systems.
Another $29.3 billion in funding will cover amphibious ships, including five landing platform docks (LPDs), two landing helicopter assault vessels (LHAs), and 23 medium landing ships.
The plan also includes a $15-billion procurement of 21 auxiliary and logistics vessels, along with investments in 47 medium unmanned surface vessels and 16 extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles.
Foreign Shipbuilding Support
To expand production capacity, Washington said it will pursue foreign investment and allied shipbuilding partnerships.
That framework would allow overseas yards to fabricate non-sensitive hull modules for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, LHAs, LPDs, and future BBGN ships, while American shipyards handle final assembly and classified systems integration.
The military is also seeking the authority to build up to two auxiliary ships overseas and continue limited overseas sustainment periods for deployed vessels.
Acquisition and Industrial Reform
The service noted that the future ships will feature upgradable designs supported by expanded distributed manufacturing, with the force aiming to increase nationwide distributed shipbuilding work from 10 to 50 percent.
That goal is backed by a restructuring of acquisition oversight through new Portfolio Acquisition Executive offices, including Maritime, Undersea, and Robotics and Autonomous Systems.
Officials also pledged stricter oversight of contractors and tighter control of changing requirements during development, which they identified as a major source of delays and cost overruns.
AI Utility
The US Navy said that the service-wide modernization will be assisted by its recently-launched artificial intelligence-powered ShipOS platform, which will support construction and maintenance planning by tracking production schedules and identifying constraints.
Officials said early pilot programs reduced submarine schedule planning from 160 manual hours to less than 10 minutes.
