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A monument to the historic battle of Guningtou, which took place in 1949, on February 3, 2021, in Kinmen, Taiwan. (Getty Images)
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Ships from the George Washington and Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Groups steam in formation at the conclusion of Valiant Shield 2014. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paolo Bayas/Released)
President Trump campaigned on the promise to rebuild and renew American military power. Increasing the size of the Navy from 274 ships to 350 is central to this goal. However, such an increase in naval strength will require considerable resources and cannot happen overnight. In order to ensure success, important questions must be answered about the strategy, size, shape, and capabilities of the future Navy: the appropriate mix of ship designs, the role of unmanned systems, the efficacy of current methods of posturing naval forces, and the threats this force is likely to face.
On March 1, Hudson Institute's Center for American Seapower hosted an expert panel discussion on the challenges associated with meeting the 350-ship goal. Former Under Secretary of the Navy Janine Davidson and Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Senior Fellow Bryan Clark joined Hudson Institute's Seth Cropsey and Bryan McGrath to discuss the steps needed to make the 350-ship Navy a reality.
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Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought on Revitalizing the Shipbuilding Industrial Base
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Please join Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, for a conversation with Dr. Rebeccah Heinrichs to discuss the Trump administration’s decisive efforts to build the Navy needed for today’s intensifying threat environment.
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The Ukrainian-made Sting and Salut interceptor drones are seen on March 31, 2026, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Getty Images)
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(Screenshot via Fox Business)
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An F-35A Lightning II operates out of Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on September 10, 2026. (US Air National Guard)
