A new industry report reveals a 50% surge in global naval shipbuilding, with China vastly outproducing the US, a critical data point for US naval strategy and industrial base concerns. The World Defense Shipbuilding 2026 study, released ahead of the Euronaval 2026 tradeshow, found that the global market for military and paramilitary shipbuilding surged by 50% in the 2024-2025 period, reaching $122 billion. Global production jumped from nearly 1 million tonnes in the previous period to approximately 1.5 million tonnes.
Over the past two years, China produced more than double the tonnage delivered by U.S. shipbuilders, churning out 636,208 tons compared to 270,509 tons for the United States. This industrial output allowed the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to take delivery of nine nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) and ten destroyers in 2024-2025, compared to just three SSNs and four destroyers for the U.S. Navy. Additionally, the Chinese fleet commissioned its newest aircraft carrier—the 80,000-ton Fujian, equipped with electromagnetic catapults—and an amphibious assault ship during this period.
Global production of nuclear-powered attack submarines nearly tripled, jumping from six units in 2022-2023 to 17 units in 2024-2025, representing a $27.3 billion investment. Conventional submarine deliveries also saw a significant increase, rising from 11 to 18 units globally.
The report also highlights a broader doctrinal shift: navies are moving away from purely platform-centric approaches toward munitions-centric warfare. In response to the growing drone threat, advanced navies are being forced to rapidly develop and field complex, multi-layered counter-drone defenses, including interceptor drones, lasers, and rapid-fire gun systems. The proliferation of hypersonic anti-ship missiles, such as Russia’s Mach 9 Zircon missile and China’s DF-17 and ship-launched YJ-21, has sparked a parallel competition in space, with nations investing in low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations dedicated to maritime surveillance, electromagnetic emission tracking, and early missile detection.
The report states that the era of expeditionary crisis management has ended, replaced by an urgent, high-stakes arms race to prepare for high-intensity, peer-to-peer maritime conflict.
Sources: USNI News · Naval News