Project 33: US Navy’s plan to beat China by 2027

The US Navy is racing to overhaul its force structure and readiness for a potential showdown with China over Taiwan as early as 2027.

USNI reported this month that the US Navy, under Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, has issued new guidance to prepare for a potential conflict with China by 2027.

According to USNI, the “Chief of Naval Operations Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy,” also called the “Project 33” plan, aims to address maintenance backlogs and recruiting challenges and focus on readiness, capability and capacity.

The plan sets two primary goals: enhancing naval readiness and strengthening the US Navy’s role in the broader US joint warfighting ecosystem.

It identifies seven critical areas, including addressing maintenance backlogs, scaling robotic and autonomous systems, improving sailor recruitment and retention, and bolstering infrastructure.

The plan emphasizes multi-domain operations and technological innovation in response to heightened global threats—specifically from China’s expanding military capabilities and Russia’s increasingly aggressive actions.

It seeks to ensure that the US Navy maintains its superiority through readiness, joint force integration and warfighter competency, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and distributed maritime operations.

It underscores the importance of executing these initiatives swiftly to meet future challenges while preparing for sustained, high-end combat.

While the US Navy accelerates its efforts to counter China’s growing naval power, it faces the stark reality of lagging shipbuilding capacity and outdated kill chains that risk exposing critical vulnerabilities in a potential conflict.

Asia Times has