Challenging the Chinese Navy, Trump Builds a "Golden Fleet"
Trump seems to be truly preparing to revive battleships.
On the 24th, the Wall Street Journal exclusively reported that recently, Trump participated in a U.S. Navy meeting, where he proposed the establishment of a "golden fleet" to deal with the so-called "Chinese threat."
According to Trump's concept, this "golden fleet" would consist of large warships with a displacement of 15,000 to 20,000 tons, equipped with heavy armor and hypersonic missiles.
In a statement to the media, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly hinted that the White House will reveal more details about the "golden fleet" in the future — it seems that Trump is really planning to build this warship.
From the existing details, this warship that fits Trump's aesthetic is more like an armory ship with thick armor than a new era battleship — as for why the warship would have heavy armor in an era of anti-ship missiles, it's because Trump doesn't believe in the durability of aluminum or composite material hulls.
Well, although thick steel plates can indeed provide some additional survivability for a warship in low-intensity conflicts or coastal operations, and can bring a sense of security both psychologically and visually.
However, today, with the increasing penetration capabilities of anti-ship missiles and the growing power of torpedoes, the tactical value of heavy armor is actually very limited. Moreover, excessive armor can slow down the speed and maneuverability of the warship, especially when facing saturation attacks, the warship becomes an easy target due to its bulkiness.
This can only mean that Trump's ideal "golden warship" is not only in line with his aesthetics but also has a strange feel that is out of touch with the times.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846947165182980/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.