Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump signalled an aggressive push to accelerate the production of warships and military aircraft, saying the United States can no longer afford decade-long timelines to deliver critical defence platforms amid rising global security pressures.
Speaking at a Mar-a-Lago news conference on December 23, Trump said his administration would press defence contractors to shorten production cycles for ships dramatically, aircraft and other major systems. “Not in 10 years and 15 years. We need them now,” Trump said, arguing that lengthy timelines have weakened US military readiness.
Trump said he plans to meet defence contractors to discuss production schedules, capital expenditure, and manufacturing capacity, warning that the US cannot maintain its military edge if companies cannot deliver equipment quickly.
The President pointed to delays in aircraft and ship deliveries, including fighter jets, saying production bottlenecks are often tied to insufficient factory capacity rather than technology. Trump said his administration would push companies to redirect profits toward expanding production rather than executive compensation or shareholder payouts, arguing that faster manufacturing is a national security priority
