The U.S. Navy has set a fleet goal of 381 ships by 2042, up from 373, in its new long-range shipbuilding plan. This plan calls for a modest decrease in large combatants but a significant jump in frigates compared to previous years.
The Navy’s fiscal 2025 long-range shipbuilding plan includes a requirement for 134 unmanned craft, including 78 unmanned surface vessels and 56 extra-large unmanned underwater vessels. The plan reveals an increase in ship numbers over several years, with varying levels of budget requirements.
The document emphasizes the need for industry to eliminate excess construction backlogs and produce ships on time and within budget to meet the fleet goals. The plan relies on assumptions about industrial capacity and shipbuilding funding to achieve the desired fleet size.
While the long-range shipbuilding plan is not binding, it gives insight into the Navy’s intentions for the next three decades. A resource-constrained alternative budget scenario shows that without increased funding for shipbuilding, the Navy may fall short of its 381-ship goal by only reaching 348 ships by FY42.
