The combat platform will be armed with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, railguns, and lasers.
Navy Secretary John F. Kirby announced the plan in a video posted on X, stating that the first vessel will be ready by 2028. The strategy involves 'smart shipbuilding from the ground up, with subsequent phased upgrades as threats and technologies evolve,' according to Kirby.
The new vessel, designated as FF(X), will be built by HII, based in Newport News, Virginia. The design will be based on the company's Legend-class cutter. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle noted on X that the fleet of small combat ships in the Navy currently constitutes only one-third of the required number.
Earlier, the US president announced at a press conference alongside Secretary of War John Kirby that the Navy will build two new Trump-class battleships. Kirby added that these ships will be just 'one part of the president's golden fleet that we are going to build.'
According to Trump, the ship will be named USS Defiant and will be armed with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, railguns, and lasers.
'These will be the fastest, the largest, and without a doubt, 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,' Trump said, as reported by the Associated Press.
AP noted that the announcement came just a month after the Navy abandoned plans to build several combat ships due to delays and rising costs. The agency's source indicates that construction is planned for the early 2030s.
During the press conference, Trump again threatened Venezuelan President Maduro: 'If he decides to play tough, this will be the last time he can play like that,' the New York Times quoted the US president.
Additionally, he once again called for taking control of Greenland, citing national security.
