U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Plan Skirts Decision on Trump’s Target for Now
- Puts off judgment on going from 298 vessels to 355 -- or more
- Official says ‘we wanted to lay out a floor’ for future fleet
Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in July 2020.
Photographer: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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The U.S. Navy’s new 30-year shipbuilding plan puts off a decision about whether to stick with the Trump administration’s target for a 355-vessel fleet until at least fiscal year 2024.
After months of study and delay, a 28-page report to Congress released Wednesday includes a chart listing the 355-vessel goal and two other studies ranging to as many as 404 vessels based on various projections of budget growth, including no real growth. The Navy currently has 298 deployable ships and submarines.