On December 22, 2025, from his Mar-a-Lago residence, President Donald Trump formally introduced the Trump-class guided missile battleship (BBG-1). This new class of warship serves as the primary element of a broader naval modernization strategy known as the Golden Fleet. Flanked by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, the President detailed a plan to revitalize the American surface fleet with a platform that combines the offensive presence of the 20th-century battleship with 21st-century directed-energy and hypersonic technologies. The administration has approved the initial construction of two vessels, with a long-term goal to procure between 10 and 25 ships of this class.
Design Philosophy and Hull Characteristics
The Trump-class battleship, with the lead ship designated the USS Defiant (BBG-1), represents the largest surface combatant built for the U.S. Navy since the end of the Second World War. Current design specifications indicate a hull length of approximately 840 to 880 feet and a displacement ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 tons. While this displacement is lower than the historical Iowa-class battleships, which exceeded 45,000 tons, the USS Defiant is nearly three times the size of an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.
The design emphasizes both lethality and what the administration describes as aesthetic authority. The President noted his personal involvement in the visual modeling of the ship, advocating for a profile that projects strength. Beyond aesthetics, the massive hull provides a substantial internal volume for power generation and cooling systems required by high-energy weaponry. The vessel utilizes a high degree of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) integration to manage its systems. This technical approach allows the ship to operate with a crew of 650 to 850 personnel, a notable reduction compared to the 2,700 sailors required for the Iowa-class ships.
Power and Propulsion: The IFEP Architecture
A central requirement for the Trump-class is a massive electrical output to support its suite of advanced weapons. The ship utilizes Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP). This architecture decouples the engines from the propeller shafts, instead using prime movers to generate electricity that powers both the propulsion motors and the ship’s combat systems. This flexibility allows the commander to redirect power from the propulsion plant to the electromagnetic railgun or high-energy lasers as tactical needs dictate.
Expected speeds for the class exceed 30 knots. By using an all-electric drive, the Navy aims to reduce the acoustic signature of the ship and simplify maintenance cycles. The large displacement ensures that the vessel can maintain high speeds in heavy seas, providing the stability necessary for precision strikes with long-range kinetic and laser weapons.
Strategic Strike and the Main Battery
The armament of the Trump-class is designed to provide a “distributive” advantage, allowing a single hull to influence vast maritime areas. The ship’s primary battery focuses on long-range, high-velocity, and strategic strikes.
Hypersonic and Nuclear Capabilities
The USS Defiant features 12 dedicated cells for Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missiles. These weapons are designed to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, providing the ability to hit targets anywhere in the world within minutes of a launch order. This hypersonic capability is intended to “reach out and kill the archers,” as Secretary Phelan described, by targeting enemy command centers and mobile missile launchers before they can engage the fleet.
Additionally, the class is equipped with 12 cells for the Surface-Launched Cruise Missile-Nuclear (SLCM-N). The inclusion of nuclear-armed cruise missiles on a surface ship marks a shift in American naval doctrine, reintroducing a tactical nuclear deterrent to the surface fleet. These missiles provide the administration with a flexible response option that does not rely solely on submarine-launched ballistic missiles or strategic bombers.
The Vertical Launch System
Complementing the specialized strike cells is a 128-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS). This high-capacity magazine allows the Trump-class to carry a diverse loadout of Standard Missiles (SM-2, SM-6) for air defense and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) for conventional precision strikes. The sheer volume of the VLS magazine ensures that the ship can participate in high-intensity Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) operations while maintaining enough offensive capacity to lead a Surface Action Group.
Advanced Kinetic and Directed-Energy Weapons
The secondary battery of the Trump-class represents a shift toward non-traditional engagement methods. The centerpiece of this battery is a 32-megajoule (MJ) electromagnetic railgun. Unlike traditional naval guns that rely on chemical propellants, the railgun uses electromagnetic force to launch projectiles at hypersonic speeds. These projectiles, known as Hypervelocity Projectiles (HVP), can hit targets at ranges up to 200 kilometers. The high velocity of the HVP provides enough kinetic energy to destroy targets on impact, eliminating the need for explosive warheads and increasing the ship’s magazine safety.
For defense against smaller surface threats and aerial drones, the ship features a suite of high-powered lasers. The primary laser systems are planned to operate in the 300kW to 600kW range. These directed-energy weapons provide an “infinite magazine,” provided the ship has enough electrical power, and can engage targets at the speed of light. To defend against “swarming” unmanned systems, the vessel also includes four ODIN (Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy) lasers designed to blind and disable drone sensors.
Traditional kinetic systems round out the defense, including two 5-inch Mk 45 guns and four 30mm guns for close-in protection. The 5-inch guns are also capable of firing HVP rounds, allowing for increased range and precision against both surface and air targets.
The High-Low Mix: The FF(X) Frigate
Recognizing that the Trump-class battleships are high-value, high-cost assets, the administration also detailed a companion vessel for the Golden Fleet. On December 19, 2025, Secretary Phelan announced the FF(X) class frigate.25 This new small surface combatant is based on the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC) design currently used by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The FF(X) is designed for rapid production and affordability. It will serve as a “nimble companion” to the larger battleships, handling routine maritime security, anti-submarine warfare, and drone operations. By leveraging the proven NSC hull, the Navy aims to avoid the delays and cost overruns that led to the recent cancellation of the Constellation-class frigate program. The goal is to have the first FF(X) in the water by 2028, filling the gap in the Navy’s small surface combatant inventory.
Industrial Revitalization and Economic Impact
The construction of the Trump-class is tied to a broader industrial policy called “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again” (MASGA). The administration intends to build these ships at domestic facilities like the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia. Hanwha Ocean, which acquired the yard in late 2024, has pledged a $5 billion investment to modernize the facility.
Each battleship is estimated to cost between $10 billion and $15 billion. Proponents argue that this investment will create thousands of specialized jobs and restore the American maritime industrial base, which has faced significant challenges in competing with Asian shipbuilders. By integrating South Korean manufacturing efficiency with American naval design, the administration aims to produce these massive hulls at a pace that rivals that ofglobal competitors.
Strategic Context and Operational Roles
The announcement of the USS Defiant comes as the U.S. Navy intensifies its presence in the Caribbean and South America. In late 2025, the administration declared a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers moving in and out of Venezuela. The Trump-class is viewed as a platform capable of enforcing such blockades through sheer presence and its ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously.
The ship is designed to function as the “quarterback” of a naval task force. Its AI-enhanced command centers can manage the operations of nearby unmanned surface and aerial vehicles, providing a comprehensive “tactical picture” of the battlespace. While some analysts argue that large ships are vulnerable to modern anti-ship missiles, the Navy contends that the combination of 600kW lasers, hypersonic strike capability, and a massive air defense magazine makes the Trump-class the most survivable platform on the ocean.
As the first hull of the class, the USS Defiant is scheduled for a construction start in the early 2030s. Its deployment will demonstrate whether the return to large-scale surface combatants can effectively deter modern adversaries and restore the maritime dominance envisioned for the Golden Fleet.
