U.S. President Donald Trump has approved plans to construct a new class of battleships, which he described as larger, faster and significantly more powerful than any previous U.S. warship.

Donald Trump said the project would eventually be expanded to encompass 20 to 25 new vessels.

Speaking in Palm Beach, Florida, he stated that the ships would each displace between 30,000 and 40,000 tons, and be “100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.”

The President said the new vessels would serve as the flagships of the U.S. Navy and highlighted plans to accelerate their production.

He intends to meet with defence contractors in Florida to discuss speeding up construction schedules and has suggested penalties for companies that fail to meet deadlines. Trump also confirmed that the administration is building three large aircraft carriers.

The planned build-out of warships will ultimately result in "more tonnage and firepower under construction than at any time in history," U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan said, adding that components would be built in every U.S. state.

He said the battleships would not only feature the "biggest guns" ever carried on a U.S. warship but also would carry nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missiles. The first of the new battleships will be christened the USS Defiant.

In addition to the new battleship class, the Golden Fleet envisions an increase in the number of other types of war vessels, including a smaller, more nimble frigate class previously announced by the U.S. Navy, Trump said.

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