By TheDailyNewsHub
The United States Navy is considering an unprecedented plan to procure warships built by allied shipbuilders in Japan and South Korea as Washington seeks to expand its surface fleet more quickly amid concerns over the pace of American shipbuilding and the growth of China’s naval forces.
The proposal, reported by Nikkei Asia and corroborated by USNI News, could see the US Navy consider foreign-designed frigates, including Japan’s Mogami-class and South Korea’s Chungnam-class, for future American service. Turkish designs are also reportedly being considered.
Under the emerging plan, as many as the first two ships of a class could be constructed at allied shipyards before production moves to the United States. The approach is tied to a broader effort to use foreign expertise and capacity while rebuilding America’s domestic shipbuilding industry.
A White House memorandum signed by President Donald Trump on August 13 formally opened the door to the arrangement. It directs the US government to develop a procurement approach that can use foreign shipyards while requiring participating foreign companies to invest in US shipyards, train American workers, license shipbuilding technology and establish US-based supply chains.
The memorandum says foreign suppliers could build up to two ships in their parent shipyards, after which subsequent vessels would be built in the United States. It also authorises the Secretary of War to make national-security determinations that could allow exceptions to the general US legal restriction on building military ships in foreign yards.
The initiative is linked to the US fiscal year 2027 budget process, which includes $1.85 billion in proposed funding for studies and procurement efforts examining the ability of allied shipbuilders to provide ships or components for the US fleet. USNI News reported that the effort is focused particularly on future frigate and cruiser/destroyer inventories.
The US Navy has already begun examining specific foreign designs. According to USNI News, the options include the export version of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Mogami-class guided-missile frigate, South Korea’s Chungnam-class guided-missile frigate, and Turkey’s Istanbul-class frigate.
The assessment is expected to be completed by November 12, 2026, according to the September 1 USNI News report, rather than simply “mid-November” in general terms.
The proposal comes as the US Navy faces longstanding shipbuilding delays and capacity constraints. The White House memorandum itself acknowledges backlogs, cost increases and limited competition within the American shipbuilding industrial base, while directing the government to expand capacity and competition.
The idea has nevertheless generated opposition from sections of the American shipbuilding industry and could face resistance in Congress. USNI News reported that lawmakers have sought restrictions on foreign construction, while the Shipbuilders Council of America has argued that building warships abroad could divert work and jobs from US shipyards.
If implemented, the proposal would represent a significant departure from the longstanding US practice of constructing its naval warships domestically. However, it is important to stress that the United States has not yet approved a purchase of Japanese or South Korean warships. The designs and shipyards are currently being evaluated as part of an ongoing procurement study.
The administration’s stated approach is to use foreign shipbuilding capacity to accelerate fleet expansion while simultaneously transferring technology, skills and investment into American shipyards so that longer-term production can take place domestically.