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. 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.
The program included:
- Recommissioning the Iowa-class battleships
- Keeping older ships in service longer
- A large new construction program
- Stepped 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.
Read more about 600-ship Navy: Background, Reagan Plan, Ships and Weapons Systems Deployed During The Plan Era, End of The Plan
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