The Navy’s top officer has announced that the fleet this year will shrink by a net of at least 10 warships, bringing the total below 280. The fleet hasn’t been that small since the 1930s, when the US was a regional power and the Navy did not have global duties. Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the Chief of Naval Operations, noted that the Navy will take delivery of three new destroyers, three bew amphibious transport docks, and one new attack submarine, but those additions are offset by retirements.
Iran War Boosts Defense Stocks, at Least for Now
March 2, 2026
Defense specialists’ stock prices jumped March 2, the first day of trading since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, led by the makers of munitions, high-tech defense specialists, and major prime contractors.