The plan's FY2031 total of 450 combines 299 battle-force ships, 68 auxiliary ships, and 83 uncrewed vessels. The uncrewed component grows from 39 in the baseline discussed here. Inclusion depends on more than the existence of a demonstration craft: the counted medium uncrewed vessels need an approved requirement, acquisition strategy, and budget. Other uncrewed systems funded elsewhere are excluded from this particular measure. The categories therefore describe a broader force than the battle-force ship count alone. The review also questions the functional grouping of ballistic-missile submarines with battle-force ships because their principal task is strategic deterrence; that is a criticism of the presentation, not a change to the plan's counting convention.
Notable Point · 2:02:15-2:06:55
How the plan reaches a total naval force of 450
The FY2031 total combines 299 battle-force ships, 68 auxiliaries, and 83 uncrewed vessels, with specific limits on which uncrewed programs count.