Study: US Navy will need more manned, unmanned vessels December 14, 2020, by Naida Hakirevic Last week, the Department of the US Navy released the annual 30-year shipbuilding plan outlining a larger, modernized force. Over the last four years, the Trump administration has steadily increased the number and readiness of battle-force ships. This plan moves to continue that buildup and is resourced to achieve a 355-ship naval fleet. “The plan calls for a larger fleet of both manned and unmanned vessels prepared to face greater challenges on, above or under the sea by accelerating submarine construction, modernizing aircraft, extending the service life of cruisers and increasing the number of destroyers,”