Trump-class Battleship to Use A1B Nuclear Reactor From Ford Carrier

The Navy will equip its Trump-class battleship with the same A1B nuclear reactor that powers the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, according to the service's top officer. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle confirmed the battleship would share several design features with the Ford, including the reactor, steam generator and reactor cooling pump components.

The Navy's updated shipbuilding plan released on Monday stated the vessel would be nuclear-powered. "All of that technology that's going into the design of the battleship, the nuclear battleship, from the reactor plant perspective, is all pull-through technology from the Ford class, as are most of the combat systems, radar system, missile system," Caudle told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee.

Caudle said he is thrilled the ship will be nuclear-powered. He emphasized that the large combatant is critical for the fleet to provide significant payload volume for future operations, particularly in the Pacific. "The fact it's nuclear is going to give it the sustainment it needs," Caudle said.

The first is slated for delivery in 2036. Budget documents show the service expects to spend roughly $46 billion over the next five years to design and develop the vessel. For fiscal year 2027, the Navy is requesting approximately $1 billion in advance procurement and roughly $837 million in research and development funds.

The Navy is also planning to request roughly $17 billion in procurement funding for the first ship in fiscal year 2028 and approximately $13 billion in 2030 for the second ship, according to budget documents released in April.

The projected cost of the ship has drawn questions from lawmakers. Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Rep. Betty McCollum said at the hearing that it represents another extraordinary cost for the Navy and seems unaffordable.

Navy leaders have cited design challenges with the next-generation destroyer as a factor in proceeding with the battleship, which has a larger hull to accommodate greater capability. Rear Adm. Ben Reynolds, deputy secretary of the Navy for budget, told reporters in April that the battleship will be able to do many things that destroyers cannot.

“All of that technology that's going into the design of the battleship, the nuclear battleship, from the reactor plant perspective, is all pull-through technology from the Ford class, as are most of the combat systems, radar system, missile system.”