As China's navy grows, the US fleet is on a 'downward trajectory,' maritime expert says

• The threat of a conflict over Taiwan has put the spotlight on the US and Chinese navies.
• The US Navy has been shrinking, meaning China's is now the world's largest.
• A major decline in US shipbuilding capacity could be a problem in the future, analysts say.

The oceans are once again becoming a key geopolitical battleground.

In the Indo-Pacific, the aggressive shadow of China is growing. Meanwhile, sea-based drone warfare in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine and the Houthi rebels' disruption of commercial shipping in the Red Sea have become conflict hot spots.