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US President Donald Trump has announced plans for the Navy to build a new large warship that he describes as a “battleship”, as part of a future “Golden Fleet”.
Speaking on Monday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the ship would be “the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built”, according to the Associated Press (AP).
What Trump is proposing
Trump said the new ship would be larger than the Iowa-class battleships used during the Second World War. He added that it would be equipped with hypersonic missiles, rail guns and high-powered lasers, AP reported. Several of these systems are still under development by the US Navy.
The plan comes despite recent problems in Navy shipbuilding. Just last month, the Navy dropped plans for a new small warship because of delays and rising costs, and instead, opted for a modified Coast Guard cutter. Other major projects, including the Ford-class aircraft carrier and Columbia-class submarines, have also faced delays, AP said.
What a battleship traditionally means
The term “battleship” usually refers to a large, heavily armoured ship armed with large guns, designed to fight other ships or strike targets on land. These vessels were most important during the Second World War.
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The largest US battleships, the Iowa-class, weighed around 60,000 tonnes. Although four were modernised in the 1980s with missiles and new radar systems, all were retired by the 1990s as aircraft carriers and long-range missiles became more central to naval warfare.
Trump’s past views on Navy design
Trump has long taken an interest in the design and appearance of Navy ships. During his first term, he criticised modern electromagnetic catapult systems on aircraft carriers and argued for a return to steam-powered systems, though the idea was not adopted.
He has also complained about rust on Navy ships and raised concerns about the look of destroyers.
Navy Secretary John Phelan told senators during his confirmation hearing that Trump had contacted him repeatedly, sometimes late at night, about the condition of ships.
“He has texted me numerous times very late at night,” Phelan said, referring to concerns over “rusty ships or ships in a yard”.
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Trump said on Monday that he plans to be directly involved in the design of the new warship.
“The US Navy will lead the design of these ships along with me,” Trump said. “Because I’m a very aesthetic person,” AP reported.
