Summary and Key Points: The proposed Trump-class battleship is intended to restore “mass” in naval firepower as the U.S. Navy faces a fleet-size gap relative to China.
-With most surface combat power concentrated in Arleigh Burke destroyers and a shrinking cruiser force, the concept emphasizes concentrated missile capacity—potentially around 100 vertical launch cells—plus room for emerging weapons like lasers, high-powered microwave, electronic warfare, and possibly railguns.
-The idea extends beyond magazines: a battleship-sized platform could also revive deck-gun relevance with longer-range, precision munitions.
-Its decisive value would hinge on networking—Aegis integration, cross-domain targeting, and acting as a multi-domain command-and-control node.
Trump-Class Battleship vs. China: The Real Weapon Is Firepower Density
The new Trump-class battleships could add unique or unprecedented tactical value to the US Navy by addressing current fleet deficits, particularly in the ability to mass firepower and across wide combat formations.
The US Navy operates a substantial fleet of roughly 75 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and only about eight or nine cruisers. Hence, the service currently operates with a fleet-size deficit compared to the People’s Liberation Army-Navy.
Trump-Class Battleship. Image Credit: Creative Commons/White House.
Trump-Class Battleship. Image Credit: Creative Commons/White House Photo.
The operative question related to this dynamic is whether more “mass” or “firepower” would be needed in a potential conflict with China.
Even if US Navy warships, such as its Flight IIA DDG51s and fast-emerging high-tech Flight III DDG 51s, are superior in the realm of sensing and lethality, the US Navy will still need to “mass” maritime firepower in a war with China – given the vast expanse of the Pacific, size of China’s Navy and “range” along its extended coastline.
100 Vertical Launch Systems
DDG 51 destroyers operate with as many as 90-96 Vertical Launch Systems capable of firing Tomahawk missiles and interceptor weapons such as an SM-3 Block IIA or an SM-6.
A maritime formation of several destroyers would then be in position to attack large areas across many miles, particularly given the 900-mile range of a Tomahawk missile and its ability to adjust course in flight to hit moving targets.
Additional firepower could also be added by submarines; however, a new class of heavily armed battleships would not only supplement firepower requirements but also integrate weapons and fire control with new levels of precision, range, and lethality.
A large battleship could mass or concentrate precision strikes on a large, high-value target and potentially integrate new generations of surface-launched weapons as they emerge.
These new battleships could incorporate as many as 100 VLS systems and a new generation of emerging weapons to include lasers, high-powered microwave, electronic warfare or even rail guns.
Deck-Mounted Guns
In this realm of weapons, new battleships could address the needed improvement across the Navy’s armament of deck-mounted guns.
In recent years, the service has experimented with new, longer-range precision rounds for its 5-inch guns and even explored the possibility of a ship-fired Naval Excalibur variant capable of firing GPS-guided 155mm rounds from the deck of a warship.
Zumwalt-Class. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
210421-N-FC670-1062 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 21, 2021) Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) participates in U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) 21, April 21. UxS IBP 21 integrates manned and unmanned capabilities into challenging operational scenarios to generate warfighting advantages. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe)
New battleships could therefore not only massively increase surface-to-surface and surface-to-land firepower, but also provide the technical infrastructure sufficient to integrate new generations of guns and ammunition in the coming years.
The concept of operation seems quite clear, given that the US Navy would simply not want to be “out-gunned” in a maritime war engagement against China near Taiwan or in the South China Sea.
Networking
The successful execution of improved targeting and firepower relies heavily on effective networking, an area where a new class of battleships might be well-positioned to excel.
They could be integrated with the most modern versions of Aegis Combat Systems and combine land, surface, air, and space networking to share target-track information, cue drones or forward-operating aircraft to attack specific identified threats, and relay information across the horizon, thereby improving targeting for interceptor missiles.
Iowa-class Battleship firing. Image: Creative Commons.
The Navy’s SM-3 Block IIA, for example, is capable of intercepting ICBMs as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in the terminal phase; a next-generation warship could improve connectivity with satellites and help enhance missile defense targeting and precision.
The new battleships could bring new levels of ocean-based multi-domain command and control.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Master’s Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
