The American shipbuilding revival will start with battleships.
President Donald Trump wants to increase federal spending for shipbuilding by 242%, to $65.8 billion, for battleships, submarines and other naval vessels, according to documents released by the White House on Tuesday.
The proposed fiscal 2027 budget says that the funding would go to build “18 battle force ships and 16 non-battle force ships,” according to documents released by the White House Tuesday.
The budget proposal, which is unlikely to be approved by Congress in its initial form, comes as Trump wants $1.5 trillion in total military spending.
Congress approved $27.2 billion for military-related shipbuilding in 2026.
The budget proposal sets aside a comparatively paltry $1.5 billion for shipping, including $500 million for port development, under the federal Maritime Action Plan to reinvigorate U.S.-flag shipping.
The top-line budget documents detail the creation of a “Golden Fleet” of battleships, frigates, amphibious vessels, and submarines. It lays out the procurement of strategic cargo vessels, hospital ships, tankers, and other logistics support vessels. It would upgrade repair capacity of public shipyards while improving production across the fleet to address delays and timely delivery of vessels.
The budget proposes $500 million in Port Infrastructure Development Program grants, and $550 million to modernize the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. A total of $355 million is set aside for small shipyard grants, and $100 million for workforce development.
The budget renews the MAP’s plan for a new Maritime Security Trust Fund for support programs alongside annual appropriations.
Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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