Navy unveils fiscal 2027 shipbuilding plan

The Department of the Navy has released its Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan, laying out a long-term blueprint to expand and modernize the fleet while bolstering the nation’s shipbuilding industrial base and workforce.

“The United States is at a strategic inflection point, and rebuilding American maritime dominance requires urgency, accountability, and sustained commitment,” said Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao. “This Shipbuilding Plan provides a roadmap for the Golden Fleet, to grow a larger, more capable Fleet while revitalizing the industrial base, strengthening our workforce, and ensuring our Sailors and Marines have the platforms they need to defeat any adversary for decades to come.”

According to the department, the plan centers on disciplined execution and a stronger industrial foundation, aiming to deliver a more capable, ready, and lethal naval force. It emphasizes a balanced mix of high-end and lower-cost platforms alongside emerging technologies, expands workforce and shipyard capacity, and tightens oversight to keep deliveries on schedule.

Navy officials said the effort incorporates lessons from current operations and shifting global threats, and is designed to accelerate changes in force design and acquisition. They also underscored the need for continued collaboration with Congress to sustain progress and align the future fleet with national security requirements.

The department said it has adjusted future force-structure priorities and select platforms based on operational assessments, industrial base considerations, affordability, and broader strategic planning. It plans to continue refining shipbuilding requirements in consultation with lawmakers and other stakeholders.

“The President’s budget request for fiscal year 2027 makes a $65.8 billion generational investment in U.S. Navy shipbuilding. This plan details these investments and the Administration’s 30-year investment plan to expand our nation’s Navy shipbuilding capacity and deliver the Golden Fleet,” said Mr. Jason Potter, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RDA). “At the same time, the Navy is holding industry more accountable for both meeting contractual requirements and making capital investments to support this expansion. We are laser-focused on growing the fleet and delivering the ships that our Sailors and Marines depend on.”

The Navy files a 30-year shipbuilding plan with Congress annually, a document that typically outlines fleet size goals, platform mix, and funding profiles while identifying constraints within the industrial base.

Officials said the full Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan is available online.