Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
Coverage of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in the Nexus archive.
- US Navy’s repair gap could hand the Pacific war to China
The US Navy faces significant risks to its maritime dominance due to challenges in repairing battle-damaged Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in a hostile Indo-Pacific theater, according to a RAND report. This repair gap could potentially hand China an advantage in a conflict over the Pacific.
- US couldn’t repair battle-damaged ships in war with China, study finds
A RAND study found U.S. battle-damaged warships could not be quickly repaired during a war with China due to overwhelmed maintenance facilities, insufficient spare parts, and limited allied shipyard capacity. The report highlights risks to maritime dominance and recommends streamlining repair authority, expanding mobile repair capabilities, and securing access to allied ports in the Pacific.
- The US Navy is full speed ahead on building a laser fleet
The U.S. Navy is pursuing laser weapons as part of its future fleet strategy, with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle arguing they are necessary for missile defense. However, current Navy warships lack sufficient power generation to support high-energy laser systems, requiring next-generation warships to be designed from the ground up with the necessary power and cooling infrastructure.