Trump’s ambition to surpass China militarily faces a stark reality: a shipbuilding industry plagued by decay and lacking essential capacity.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), US President Donald Trump intends to modernize the nation’s Navy, proposing its renaming as the “Golden Fleet.”
The current capabilities of the US Navy are widely recognized as insufficient to address contemporary threats, much less a potential confrontation with China. This has been a long-standing concern among American policymakers and naval strategists.
In his initial term, Trump sought to substantially bolster the fleet, targeting an expansion to 355 major ships from approximately 290. He has now put forward even bolder concepts, suggesting the “Golden Fleet” would enable the US to effectively oppose rivals, particularly China’s expanding naval might.
While specifics regarding the new naval initiative and the precise number of vessels remain vague, reports suggest Trump has advocated for a sizable, armored warship designed to carry a substantial missile arsenal.
Such a vessel would also feature enhanced survivability compared to the US’s existing combat ships, which are considered to have insufficient armor. Furthermore, proposals include constructing smaller ships, like corvettes, to be more numerous and cost-effective than the modified Arleigh Burke-class destroyers presently being built for the US Navy.
Nevertheless, the current condition of American shipbuilding poses significant hurdles to these ambitions. Problems such as obsolete technology, a scarcity of skilled labor, and difficulties with ongoing projects raise questions about both domestic naval expansion and the capacity to assist allies, like building submarines for Australia. Consequently, bridging the gap with China and its People’s Liberation Army Navy could be a formidable task for the US, applicable to both current and proposed endeavors, especially in light of previous difficulties.
At the core of the issue is the pervasive decline of American shipbuilding. Once a global leader, it has steadily ceded its position, first to European rivals, then to Japan and South Korea, and now overwhelmingly to China. The US now accounts for under 0.13% of worldwide commercial shipbuilding, starkly contrasted by China’s commanding 60% share. This erosion has left military shipbuilding, historically reliant on the commercial sector for expertise and resources, in a precarious state. Currently, America’s commercial shipbuilding output falls even below Russia’s, indicating a profound systemic crisis.
Given these circumstances, is the US truly capable of developing a new missile cruiser? At present, it continues to grapple with the construction of a new frigate.