House Panel Blocks $17 Billion Trump-Class Contract Pending Technology Proof

6 articles · Updated · Breaking Defense · May 26

Draft NDAA language would bar the Navy from signing any lead-ship construction deal until the Navy secretary shows Congress the battleship’s weapons are mature enough for use.
The restriction targets a program lawmakers say still lacks a settled design while relying on unproven systems Trump touted in December, including hypersonic missiles, rail guns and high-powered lasers.
$17 billion for first-ship procurement is planned for FY2028, after about $1 billion in advance procurement and $837 million in R&D in FY2027; critics said that spending outruns the program’s design maturity.
The Navy still argues the nuclear-powered ship is needed for payload, endurance and Pacific operations, even as its 30-year shipbuilding plan envisions 15 battleships with the first delivered in 2036.
The same House draft adds $500 million for a second Arleigh Burke destroyer, underscoring lawmakers’ preference for proven fleet capacity over the riskier battleship program.

Is a $17 billion battleship the future of naval power, or a costly mistake in the age of autonomous warfare?

With railguns and lasers still unproven, can the Navy's new battleship deliver on its futuristic promises before becoming obsolete?