수상전투함 BBG(X)는 한 척에 최대한 많은 기능을 넣기 위해 계획됐다

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함포, VLS 128셀, CPS 12발, 300kW/600kW 레이저, 32MJ 레일건을 탑재하고, 타이코급 순양함 퇴역으로 줄어드는 지휘통제 능력을 갖추기 위해 계획됐다고 하네요. 

DDG(X)의 발전형으로, 13,500톤 안에 VLS, CPS, 레일건을 충분히 탑재하기가 어려웠다고 합니다. CPS, 함포를 모두 탑재하면 VLS 셀 수가 절반으로 줄어야 했다고 하네요. 

미 해군 수뇌부, BBG(X) 전함에 대한 추가 정보 공개
2026년 1월 16일 발행
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SNA 2026에서 존 C. 펠런 해군장관의 기조연설 중 공개된 트럼프급 전함의 공식 모형. Naval News 이미지.

SNA 2026의 미래 함대 패널에서 해군해양체계사령부(Naval Sea Systems Command) 집행이사 크리스 밀러와 미 해군 수상전 담당 국장(N96) 데릭 트린퀘 해군 소장, 브라이언 메트칼프 해군 소장, 피터 스몰 해군 소장이 새롭게 공개된 BBG(X) 트럼프급 전함에 대해 심도 있게 설명했다.

BBG(X)는 상당한 지휘·통제 능력을 갖추도록 설계되었으며, 이는 노후한 타이콘데로가급 순양함이 퇴역하면서 미 해군 수상 전력에서 위기에 처한 역량이다. 패널은 또한 이 전함이 공격적 타격 능력과 병행해 수상 전력의 중심이자 지휘 노드로서 역할을 수행할 것이라고 설명했다. 다만 패널은 이 점이 주로 타격 임무만을 수행했던 아이오와급 전함이 마지막으로 맡았던 설계와 의도된 역할과는 차별화된 것임을 분명히 했다.

“전함은 구식이다. 우리는 몬태나급 설계를 다시 꺼내 먼지를 털고 있는 것이 아니다. 몬태나급은 제2차 세계대전 말기에 아이오와급의 후계로 설계되었지만, 전쟁에서 승리하면서 더 이상 필요하지 않게 되었다. 우리는 그 급을 필요로 하지 않는다. 이것은 우리가 필요로 하는 함정이다.”

– 미 해군 수상전 담당 국장(N96) 데릭 트린퀘 해군 소장

BBG(X) 프로그램
BBG(X) 프로그램을 상세히 설명한 미래 전력 패널의 슬라이드. Naval News 이미지.

발표를 통해 함정의 무장과 관련된 구체적인 수치도 어느 정도 확정되었다. 해당 함정은 MK-41 수직발사체계(VLS) 128셀, 재래식 신속 타격(CPS) 미사일 12발, 300kW 또는 600kW 레이저 2기, 그리고 고속탄을 사용하는 32메가줄 레일건을 탑재한다. 128개의 MK-41 셀은 3개 구역으로 나뉘어 배치되며, 헬기 격납고 상부에 위치한 함미 VLS 뱅크가 가장 크고, 그 다음이 중앙부와 선수부 배치로 구성된다는 점이 확인되었다. 이러한 수치는 2028년 설계 선정 시점에 최종 확정될 예정이다.

함정의 물리적 제원은 길이 약 860피트, 폭 약 110피트로, 크기 면에서 니미츠급 및 포드급 항공모함 다음으로 큰 전투함이 될 것으로 제시되었다. 배수량 3만5,000톤 이상인 이 함정의 최대 속도는 30노트로 설정되어 있으며, 무기 체계와 탑재될 가능성이 높은 센서들이 요구하는 전력 소모와 대형 함정을 고속으로 운용하는 데 필요한 에너지를 고려할 때 어떤 종류의 추진기관이 장착될지에 대한 의문을 제기하고 있다.

광기의 이면
DDG(X) 차세대 구축함
차세대 DDG(X) 구축함의 개념적 설계안. 미 해군 이미지.

트린퀘 소장의 앞선 발언과 더불어, BBG(X) 프로그램과 이를 형성한 요구 조건들은 기존 DDG(X) 차세대 구축함 개념의 발전형이라는 점이 분명히 밝혔다.

트린퀘 소장은 BBG(X)가 공간과 능력상의 우려로 인해 등장했다고 설명했다. 약 1만3,500톤급 단일 함정에 MK-41 범용 VLS, CPS, 그리고 (레일)건을 충분한 수량으로 탑재하는 것은 현실적으로 어렵다는 판단이었다. 필요한 수량의 MK-41과 CPS를 탑재하려면 함포를 포기해야 했고, CPS, MK-41, 함포를 모두 탑재하려면 MK-41 셀 수를 거의 절반으로 줄여야 했는데, 이는 해군이 받아들일 수 없는 선택이었다.

“우리는 일부 DDG(X) 함정에 CPS를 탑재하기 위한 절충안을 어떻게 마련할지에 대해 논의하게 되었다. 함포를 포기하거나 VLS 용량을 절반으로 줄이지 않고서는 이를 달성할 수 없었다. 그리고 그것들은 모두 끔찍한 선택이었다.”

– 미 해군 수상전 담당 국장(N96) 데릭 트린퀘 해군 소장

해군이 제시한 강력한 타격 능력, 전투 관리, 광역 방공에 대한 요구는 이러한 무장 구성에서 드러나며, 이는 단일 함정이라는 틀 아래에서 집약될 필요가 있었다. 여기에 더해 트럼프 행정부 하에서 공격적 화력과 기타 억제 수단에 대한 강조가 강화되면서, 해군은 대안들보다 BBG(X)를 선택하게 되었다.

강재 절단을 향하여

뉴포트 뉴스 조선소에서 다양한 건조 단계에 있는 포드급 항공모함 두 척. 3만5,000톤급 BBG(X) 역시 충분한 규모의 건조 도크를 갖춘 유사한 조선소에서 건조될 수 있다. HII 이미지.

패널은 15~25척으로 구성될 BBG(X) 건조 사업이 거대한 도전이 될 것임을 인정하면서도, 해양 산업 기반의 재자본화를 선도하기 위한 기존 노력에 비추어 볼 때 전혀 불가능한 과업은 아니라고 밝혔다. 대형 함정 건조 능력 역시 강조되었으며, 현재 진행 중인 포드급 항공모함 건조가 그 사례로 언급되었다.

메트칼프 해군 소장은 건조가 고도로 협력적인 노력이 될 것이라고 강조하며, 해군이 다양한 규모의 다수 업체와 조선소, 계약자 간 협력을 활용해 사업에 필요한 구성 요소들을 조달할 것이라고 밝혔다. 또한 외국 파트너의 참여 가능성도 검토 중이지만, 구체적인 내용은 아직 공개할 수 없다고 덧붙였다.

BBG(X)급 함정을 건조하는 데 필요한 방대한 지식 기반과 노동력의 규모 역시 언급되었으며, 메트칼프 소장은 설계와 건조의 모든 단계에서 조선 산업의 역량이 동원될 것임을 확인했다. 건조 및 설계 절차 또한 분산화되어, 일부 조선 관련 사안에 대해서는 하위 단계에 승인 권한이 위임될 예정이다.

태그
전함, BBG(X), 미 해군

에단 고스로 사진
에단 고스로
에단 고스로는 미국 워싱턴 D.C.에 기반을 둔 프리랜서 작가로, 미국 해군 동향에 관심을 가지고 있다. 그는 현재 아메리칸 대학교에서 국제관계학을 전공 중인 학부생이다.

U.S Navy's Top Brass Unveils Additional BBG(X) Battleship Information - Naval News

U.S Navy’s Top Brass Unveils Additional BBG(X) Battleship Information

• Published on 16/01/2026
• By Ethan Gossrow
• In News

Official model of the Trump-Class Battleship featured during SECNAV John C. Phelan's keynote address at SNA 2026. Naval News Image.

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During the Future Fleet Panel at SNA 2026, Chris Miller, the Executive Director at Naval Sea Systems Command, and Rear Admiral Derek Trinque, the U.S Navy Director of Surface Warfare (N96), Rear Admiral Brian Metcalf, and Rear Admiral Peter Small went in depth regarding the newly unveiled BBG(X) Trump-Class Battleships.

BBG(X) is meant to have significant command and control facilities, a capability in jeopardy amongst the USN surface force as the aging Ticonderoga-Class Cruisers are retired from service. The panel further elaborated that the Battleship is to serve as a centerpiece/command node in a surface force, in tandem with the offensive strike capability. However the panel clarified that this was a departure from both design and intended role last filled by the Iowa Class battleships which mainly functioned in the strike role exclusively.

“Battleships are obsolete. This is not us blowing the dust off the design of the Montana-class, which was to be a successor to the Iowa-class at the end of World War 2, and then we won World War 2, we didn’t need the Montana-class. It’s true we don;t need that class. This is a ship we do need.”

– RADM Derek Trinque, the U.S Navy Director of Surface Warfare (N96)

Slide from the Future Forces Panel Detailing the BBG(X) program. Naval News Image.

Hard figures surrounding the vessel’s armament were also somewhat solidified by the presentation, with the ship carrying 128 MK-41 VLS cells, 12 Conventional Prompt Strike missile rounds, 2 300kw or 600kw lasers, and 32 Megajoule Railgun with high-velocity rounds. It was confirmed that 128 MK-41 cells are split up between 3 blocks, with the stern VLS bank above the helicopter hanger being the largest, followed by the amidships and bow allotment. The figures will be firmly in place by selection of the design in 2028.

Physical figures peg the capital ship as being second only to the Nimitz and Ford-classes of carriers in terms of size, with a length of ~860 ft and a beam of ~110 ft. Speed requirements peg the +35,000 ton vessel at a maximum speed of 30 knots, raising questions about the type of power plant equipped, especially with the power draw present within the weapons systems and likely sensors on top of the energy required to get a large vessel up to speed.

Methods Behind the Madness

A notional design concept of how the next-generation DDG(X) destroyer might have appeared. U.S. Navy image.

In tandem with earlier remarks by RADM Trinque, it was made clear that the BBG(X) program and the requirements that shaped it were largely an evolution of the previous DDG(X) Next Genz

It was stated by RADM Trinque that BBG(X) came about due to spacing and capability concerns, as it was unlikely that the Navy could fit sufficient amounts of the MK-41 general purpose VLS, CPS, and a (rail) Gun into a singular vessel of a roughly 13,500 ton weight class. Fitting MK-41 in needed numbers and CPS would come at the cost of a gun, and fitting CPS, MK-41, and a gun would stipulate the almost halving of MK-41 cells, a cost the Navy could not accept.

“We wound up having conversations about how to do tradeoffs to fit CPS into some of the DDG(X) ships. We were not going to able to do that without either dropping a gun or cutting the VLS capacity in half. And those are terrible choices.”

– RADM Derek Trinque, the U.S Navy Director of Surface Warfare (N96)

The Navy’s stated requirements for significant striking power, battle management, and area-defense is shown in this armament, which needed culminated under the umbrella of a singular vessel. In addition to this, an increased focus on offensive firepower and other methods deterrence under the Trump administration drove the Navy towards the selection of the BBG(X) over alternatives.

Towards Cutting Steel

Two Ford-Class Carriers in various states of construction at Newport News Shipbuilding. The 35k ton BBG(X) could be assembled at a similar yard with the requisite size berths. HII Image.

It was acknowledged by the panel that the construction effort of BBG(X), a class of 15-25 vessels would be a monumental, but stated as not being a completely impossible undertaking, shaped by previously covered efforts to spearhead recapitalization of the maritime industrial base. Large shipbuilding capability was also highlighted, with the ongoing construction of the Ford class of carriers used as an example.

RDML Metcalf iterated that the building will be a highly collaborative effort, with the Navy seeking to leverage collaboration between multiple vendors, yards, and contractor of various sizes to assemble the components necessary to put the effort into the water. It was also stated that the involvement of foreign partners was on the table and being considered, but any forthcoming details were not available.

The sheer size of the knowledge base and amount labor needed to build a BBG(X) type of vessel was also acknowledged, with RDML Metcalf affirming the involvement of the shipbuilding industry’s design and construction capacity at every level. Construction and design procedures are also to be de-centralized with approval for certain shipbuilding matters left to lower levels.

Tags

• Battleship, BBG(X), US Navy

Ethan Gossrow

Ethan Gossrow is an undergraduate student at American University studying International Relations. He is also currently a freelance writer based in Washington D.C. with an interest in Naval developments in the United States.

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레일건을 안 집어넣어서 크기를 줄인다는 더 효율적인 방법이 있습니다만...

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