Concerns about the ships needed to replace Arleigh Burkes

How much trouble is the US Navy in if it cannot design and build a Burke replacement?

The concern is a serious replacement risk despite existing Burkes and orders, with allied escort and Atlantic contributions considered only partial relief.

The participants' December 2025 assessment treats continued reliance on the Burke class as a serious replacement problem. Existing hulls and ships already ordered are distinguished from fresh orders, while Flight III ships are also identified as Ticonderoga replacements. The age-of-sail third-rate analogy describes the Burke's role in providing the numerical mass of a battle fleet. Possible allied contributions include Canadian and Australian escort work and Royal Navy activity that releases American ships from Atlantic duties. They see these as partial offsets, leaving the underlying replacement issue unresolved.