600-ship Navy
United States Cold War–era defense plan / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 600-ship Navy was a strategic plan of the United States Navy during the 1980s to rebuild its fleet after cutbacks that followed the end of the Vietnam War.[1] The plan, which originated with Republican leaders, was an important campaign plank of Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election, who advocated a larger military and strategic confrontation with the Soviet Union.[2][3]
The number of ships peaked at 594 in 1987, before declining sharply after the end of the Cold War in 1989–1991.[4]
The program included:
- Recommissioning the Iowa-class battleships
- Keeping older ships in service longer
- A large new construction program
- Stepping up production of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
The idea was supported by John F. Lehman, who became Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, and Caspar Weinberger, Reagan's Secretary of Defense.