In lieu of the U.S. Navy’s increasing emphasis towards revitalizing the maritime industrial base, the FY 2027 Budget request contains a requested $65,825,017,000 designated towards critical U.S. Navy shipbuilding efforts, with most of the funds tapped for noteworthy programs.
Aircraft Carriers
The Surface fleet’s major priorities will receive a total of roughly $14.42 billion dollars. Within this total, Aircraft Carrier based programs will receive the glut of the ~$14.42 billion, with a total of ~$8.57 going to the flattops.
Carrier centered program funding is broken down into several sections itself, with the most expensive category being $4,448,902,000 tasked towards refueling nuclear reactors as the Nimitz-class vessels continue to age. Subsequently, an additional $53,070,00 is earmarked for Advanced Procurement for Carrier refueling efforts, ultimately being slotted towards ordering long lead time items.
USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) is requested to receive $1,447,882,000, with service entry date scheduled for 2032. Additional Gerald R. Ford-class funds total $2,619,473,000 under the Carrier Replacement Program, split into $678,907,000 for use in FY 2027 and $1,940,566,000 to be used for Advanced Procurement for FY 2029, with these funds targeted largely at progressing the Fords towards service to relieve the earliest built carriers of the Nimitz-class.
Surface Combatants
Arleigh Burke-class destroyer (DDG-51) funding constitutes an additional $3,268,238,000, primarily geared towards purchasing one hull as well as supporting the overall production of DDG-51 Flight III standard vessels. Notably, FY 2027 sees a reduction in total DDG-51 hulls purchased in FY 2026 by one, which carries a total reduction in DDG-51 program funds of just under $1.2 billion from last year’s funding. Procurement for the DDG-1000 program rounds out the rest of the request for destroyers, with $66,515,000 requested to support the Zumwalts, as their conversions to Hypersonic missile carriers continues to progress.
BBG(X), also referred to as the Trump-class battleship, will receive exactly $1,000,000,000 in Advanced Procurement funds to be utilized over the next two fiscal years. In tandem with BBG(X), the Navy’s other new program in the shape of FF(X), which seeks to field a replacement for the now cancelled Constellation-class of frigates, will receive a total of $1,429,000,000 for one frigate and additional support. Naval News has previously covered the BBG(X) and FF(X) programs in detail following Surface Navy Association 2026.
In contrast with the above mentioned programs, neither the Constellation-class frigate program, nor the Littoral Combat Ships are sighted to receive any dollars under shipbuilding for the first time since their introduction, even despite both classes having some number of ships destined for long-term service amongst the fleet, with the first 3 Constellations currently still in production.
Submarines
The Columbia-class Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine and Virginia-Class Nuclear Attack Submarine programs will receive over third of the total shipbuilding funding, standing at a total of roughly $25.6 billion for major sub-surface craft. Columbia-class procurement endeavors will get a total of $11,621,291,000, separated into $6,904,785,000 for immediate construction efforts regarding the first hull and $4,969,042,000 for Advanced Procurement to acquire long lead time parts for later boats.
Supplementing the new “boomers”, the Virginia-class SSN shipbuilding funds stand at $13,985,934,000, making the total funding efforts for the Navy’s primary class of nuclear attack subs the single most expensive program in the Navy’s shipbuilding request. The almost $14 billion dollars is bifurcated into $8,402,316,000 for immediate usage which will be used to fund 2 boats and short-term efforts, and $5,583,618,000 to support Advanced Procurement for FY 28, FY 29 and FY 34.
Amphibious Warfare Vessels
Requested dollar allotments for the U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault fleet will total ~$8.2 billion. America-class Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) type vessels will form $3,852,319,000 of the roughly $8.2 billion, with procurement of one hull. Joining the lone America will be one San Antonio-class of Landing Platform Docks (LPD) at a total of $2,548,650,000, partitioned into $2,192,700,000 in a base request and $355,950,000 for Advanced Procurement based components.
The Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program is the newest effort in regards to procurement for littoral transport, with a total of $1,887,500,000 pertaining to the procurement of 6 additional vessels. Compiling both FY 2026 and FY 2027 hulls, 16 LSMs in total could be funded, with Naval News previously reporting on the design process and competition.
Auxiliary Vessels
Supplementing requested capital allotments for U.S. Navy front line vessels, $13,921,279,000 is to be invested into the procurement for logistics and auxiliary vessels, with the following major programs constituting the majority of the cost. $4,444,000,000 is designated for a new effort to procure a fresh class of submarine tenders likely under the AS(X) program, with two hulls funded to eventually supplement or replace the aging Emory S. Land-class of tenders.
In addition to the new submarine tenders, 2 John Lewis-class fleet oilers will be receiving the requisite funding at a total of $2,228,883,000. Also funded is one next generation hospital ship at a total of $650,000,000, one ocean surveillance ship (TAGOS SURTASS ship) for $710,664,000, one Strategic sea lift vessel for $450,000,000, and several other smaller auxiliary programs.
