For the naval community, 2025 was a year dominated by all things „big”: from the appointment of the Navy’s top leader, to significant international agreements for the Coast Guard, and of course, every naval enthusiast’s favorite topic of discussion – big ships!
Some of these developments were anticipated (movements on the ICE Pact), some were rumored but not certain (a new Chief of Naval Operations), and at least one, in my opinion, felt like it came out of nowhere: building battleships again?
The American Navy: A Force with Clear Objectives
Before delving into the year’s top five events, it’s essential to acknowledge the notable absence of Marine Corps stories. This omission, far from being a slight, is rather a testament to the service’s culture: when the commandant sets a goal, Marines rally and pursue it with remarkable tenacity.
This explains, at least in part, why the Marines have been less prone to questioning or rethinking „big” things lately. Since the advent of Force Design in 2019, Marine Corps leadership has consistently made that document its north star, persuading Pentagon and congressional leaders to back it, and only making minor tweaks around the edges.
With that said, here are five stories from 2025 that made big waves for the sea services:
1. Changing of the Guard: New Commands at the Apex of the Navy and Joint Chiefs
Any time there is a change of command at the service chief level, it’s going to be a big deal. But what stands out about Adm. Daryl Caudle’s selection as the 34th Chief of Naval Operations is two-fold: first, it took a long time to make the pick. Second, despite President Donald Trump’s tendency to seek unorthodox candidates, Adm. Caudle possesses the standard resume for such a role. A career operational submariner and, at the time, the four-star head of US Fleet Forces Command, he likely would have been a leading contender for the job during any presidential administration.
It is also noteworthy that around the same time, General Christopher Mahoney, then Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, was chosen to become the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – placing a Marine in a Joint Staff position with significant influence over the Pentagon’s broad requirements and budget plans.
2. Coast Guard on Alert: The US Response to Chinese Activity Near Alaska
There are several events that revolve around the Coast Guard, the ICE Pact, and the recapitalization of the American icebreaker fleet through deals with Finland and Canada. All these have intertwined and represented a central point of interest, especially in the context of the Trump Administration’s decisions regarding former President Joe Biden’s last major trilateral security agreement.
I selected this particular story, which focused on how the Coast Guard is responding to Chinese activity off the coast of Alaska. This encapsulates all the preceding items: American ships (and aircraft) are being deployed to places they’re needed. In this case, they were monitoring a large flotilla of Chinese activity that was happening too close for comfort.
3. The Return of Battleships? Trump’s „Golden Fleet” Sparks Controversy
Are battleships back? The answer is ostensibly „yes.” The White House earlier this week announced its plan for a new class of such ships. A subsequent analysis explored what such an initiative would entail from a budgetary and industrial base perspective to bring it to fruition. How the term „battleship” is used reveals much about one’s knowledge or lack thereof in naval matters. True American battleships were heavily armored warships produced in the 1940s and designed for naval engagements with peer navies. In any event, this new class of ships will likely prompt major changes to the Navy’s long-range shipbuilding plan, which is why this story is on the list.
4. Beyond the Comfort Zone: The US Navy Bets on Unmanned Surface Vessels
What’s the big idea behind unmanned surface vessels (USVs)?
Well, the Navy answered that question in a story about their Modular Attack Surface Craft program, a new USV envisioned to carry a variety of payloads and be easy to build and repair en masse. This story is on the list because, as two senior Navy officials told me, the service is stepping out of its – and industry’s – comfort zone to try something new and substantial with unmanned systems. Whether this initiative will pay off remains to be seen in 2026.
5. Below Deck: The Navy’s Ambitious Shipyard Modernization Plan
The final story, about the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan (SIOP), is included because ship maintenance – the primary mission of the four public shipyards – underpins the entire Navy fleet.
When things go smoothly, you see iconic photos of aircraft carriers and destroyers sailing in formation with fighter jets flying above. When things go poorly, however – well, everyone has a bad day. This story features interviews with two top officials overseeing the program who acknowledged the cost and schedule changes but also argued that the Navy is starting to reap real benefits from the decades-long effort that began in earnest in 2018.
Regardless of the obstacles, SIOP is a large program with ambitious goals, and given its importance to keeping all other „big” things in the US Navy operating, it will likely continue to achieve significant milestones in 2026 and beyond.
