US President Donald Trump has announced that the US will build a new class of warships that will bear his name, world agencies reported. Agence France-Presse recalls on this occasion that it is extremely atypical for ships to be named after a sitting US president.
“These ships will be the best in the world“, Trump assured during a press conference at his residence in Florida. Trump explained that initially two “Trump-class“ warships will be built, which he described as bigger, faster and 100 times more powerful. Trump explained that the construction of the first two ships will take about two and a half years. Then another 10 ships will be built quickly, and eventually there will be a total of 20-25. “Each of them will be the largest warship in the history of our country and even the world,“ Trump said. He specified that the ships will be equipped with cannons and lasers and that they can carry hypersonic and nuclear weapons.
The president said that he wanted to personally participate in the design of the vessels because he cares a lot about aesthetics.
He warned that the new class of warships would be built as a message to the whole world, not to China. “We get along very well with China,“ he said.
“We will start spending money on building planes and ships and on the things that we need, not in 10 or 15 years. "We need them now," Trump said.
The president also announced that he would meet with major defense companies next week to discuss the issue of delayed production schedules. Trump added that the discussions would look at the role that company executive pay, stock buybacks and dividends may play in companies failing to meet their production targets.
Reuters reported last week that the Trump administration was planning an order to limit dividends, stock buybacks and executive pay at defense contractors whose projects have gone over budget and are delayed.
A U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine entered the South Korean port of Busan on Monday to rest its crew and resupply, the South Korean navy said, Reuters reported.
The stoppage of the submarine “Greenville“ The South Korean port will be used as an opportunity to promote exchanges and cooperation between the U.S. and South Korean navies, as well as to further strengthen their joint defense posture, the South Korean navy said in a statement.
This is the first time in about 10 months that a U.S. nuclear submarine has entered the South Korean port of Busan. The submarine “Alexandria“ arrived there in February.
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and related equipment to Denmark.
The estimated value of the deal is up to $951 million. The news of the approved sale was announced by the Pentagon, Reuters reported.
The main contractor for the sale is “RTX Corporation“.