The Trump-Class ‘Battleship’ Is ‘One Giant Missile’ Loaded with Massive Guns

Key Points and Summary – This op-ed argues that the U.S. Navy’s proposed “Trump-class” battleships (a fleet of 10 or more) are essential to addressing a critical “fleet-size deficit” against China.

-Rather than being obsolete, these massive warships would leverage “paradigm-changing” defenses—including lasers, electronic warfare, and networking—to survive in modern combat.

-With the potential for 100+ Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) and advanced deck guns, a single Trump-class ship could serve as a “mobile strike magazine,” massing firepower and serving as a command node to dominate the vast Pacific theater.

Coming Soon?: The Big Missile Trump-Class Battleship

The new Trump-class battleships have the potential to add unique, unprecedented tactical value to the US Navy by addressing current fleet deficits, particularly in mass firepower and across wide combat formations. 

While there is by no means an unlimited budget for shipbuilding, the US would arguably be well served by a new fleet of 10 or more massive battleships, a class of warships aligned in concept with Ford-class carriers and America-class amphibious assault ships. 

Some elements of conventional wisdom or contemporary military thinking suggest that large battleships, like carriers, are increasingly vulnerable and obsolete due to a changing threat environment featuring long-range precision sensors and weapons. However, at times these perspectives may fail to account for the rapid and effective maturation of layered ship defenses.

Emerging technologies, increasingly integrated into US Navy warships, are introducing paradigm-changing ship-defense capabilities, quickly adapting the ranges and formations in which larger warships can operate. 

WATERS NEAR GUAM (Mar. 10, 2016) – Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) conducts a live fire of a harpoon missile during Multi-Sail 2016. Multi Sail is a bilateral training exercise aimed at interoperability between the U.S. and Japanese forces. This exercise builds interoperability and benefits from realistic, shared training, enhancing our ability to work together to confront any contingency. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eric Coffer/Released)

ARCTIC CIRCLE (Sept. 5, 2017) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) transits the Arctic Circle Sept. 5, 2017. Oscar Austin is on a routine deployment supporting U.S. national security interests in Europe, and increasing theater security cooperation and forward naval presence in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 30, 2018) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) fires its Mark 45 five-inch gun during a live-fire exercise. Bainbridge, homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Theron J. Godbold/Released)180630-N-FP878-566

(Dec. 17, 2021) Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) transits the Indian Ocean during a bilateral training exercise with the Royal Australian Air Force, Dec. 17, 2021. Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and elements of the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force are conducting a bilateral training exercise to test and refine warfighting capabilities in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tyler R. Fraser)

New applications have emerged, such as electronic warfare (EW) systems that can track and jam the guidance signal or RF of an incoming missile, coupled with emerging kinetic solutions, such as lasers, interceptor missiles, and deck-mounted guns, which are increasingly able to track and destroy a growing array of threats.

This defensive capability is massively strengthened by improved multi-domain networking and targeting, enabling target-tracking details to be instantly transmitted across domains, giving warship commanders a larger time window and range with which to assess defenses and develop countermeasures. 

Essentially, there are many reasons to suppose that large warships could indeed be capable of operating in a modern threat environment to a much larger extent than some might assume. 

Fleet Size and Trump-Class Battleship

The US Navy operates a substantial fleet of roughly 75 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and only about eight or nine cruisers at a time. Hence, the service currently operates with a fleet-size deficit compared to the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

The operative question regarding this dynamic is whether more mass or more firepower will be needed in a potential conflict with China.

Even if US Navy warships, such as the Flight IIA DDG51s or fast-emerging high-tech Flight III DDG 51s, are superior in 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, the size of China’s Navy, and range along its extended coastline.

100 Vertical Launch Systems 

DDG 51 destroyers operate with 90-96 Vertical Launch Systems capable of firing Tomahawk missiles and interceptor weapons such as SM-3 Block IIA or SM-6. In an invasion, a maritime formation of several destroyers takes 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.

Submarines can provide additional firepower; 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.

Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, HI (Jul. 5, 2002) — Guided missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) launches an SM-2 standard missile from its forward Vertical Launch System (VLS) during exercise ÒRim of the PacificÓ (RIMPAC) 2002. The guided missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) (right) and Spruance-class destroyer USS Paul F. Foster (DD 964) (center) follow in formation. RIMPAC 2002 is designed to improve tactical proficiency in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while building cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between participating nations. Countries participating this year are: Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States. U.S. Navy photo by PhotographerÕs Mate 1st Class Chris Desmond. (RELEASED)

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 in the Navy’s deck-mounted gun armament.

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.

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 and Trump-Class 

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. 

USS Iowa Battleship. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

An aerial bow view of the battleship USS IOWA (BB 61) with its 15 guns (nine 16-inch and six 5-inch) firing a salvo off the starboard side.

The Navy’s SM-3 Block IIA, for example, has been shown capable of intercepting ICBMs as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere during the terminal phase; a next-generation warship could improve connectivity with satellites and 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 Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.