Building a European fleet independent of US support

What hulls and capabilities would a unified European navy need to operate independently of US support by 2040?

The panel proposes tankers and supply ships first, followed by escorts, submarines, amphibious ships, and carriers, while warning that command integration and industrial dependencies complicate the 2040 ambition.

The panel's proposal starts with tankers and supply ships because these support the rest of the fleet. It then calls for air-defense and ASW escorts, amphibious ships, and carriers. Existing European conventional-submarine designs offer a starting point, while French nuclear submarines and carrier development and Italian large amphibious ships provide other suggested foundations. Several sizes of escort could serve different requirements. Unified command would be difficult without unified political authority, and industrial consolidation would face resistance from countries protecting their own programs. One panelist estimates five to ten years to replace American intellectual-property dependencies, while another stresses that European alternatives already exist.