Image Source: topwar.ru
The newest American Trump-class battleships will receive a nuclear power plant, this decision was made by the US Navy. This is reported by USNI News.
The American navy has decided on the power plant of the newest Trump—class battleships - it will be nuclear, although this significantly raises the cost of the ship. Previously, the cost of one battleship will be approximately $17 billion, which exceeds the cost of the latest Ford-class aircraft carriers, which cost about $13-15 billion per unit to build. Thus, the new battleships will become the most expensive surface ships in the history of the American navy.
The order of the first battleship of the new class is scheduled for fiscal year 2028, and commissioning is scheduled for 2036. In total, the US Navy plans to receive 15 units of the Trump type in the period from 2028 to 2055 fiscal year. The laying and construction are planned in such a way as to receive a new ship every two years, except for 2030 and 3031. But these are plans, and already the construction of new aircraft carriers is delayed by two years, and the Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard cannot cope with the workload. And it is the only site for the construction of nuclear surface ships.
Image source: topwar.ru
According to the US Navy command, the new battleships are not a replacement for destroyers, they will act as a platform for massive long-range strikes, as well as serve as control centers deployed in the ocean.
According to published data, the battleship will have a displacement of approximately 35,000 tons, a hull length of 256 to 268 meters, and a maximum speed of more than 30 knots. The ships' arsenal will include universal vertical launchers for nuclear, conventional and hypersonic missiles, electromagnetic rail guns, 127 mm artillery launchers and combat lasers.
By the way, US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan was removed because he opposed nuclear power plants on battleships, considering them too complex and expensive. And Donald Trump personally insisted on the maximum "technological superiority" of the ships.
