The big stars are the ferocious, Aegis-class destroyers to which the Navy allowed exclusive access, says Mr. Berg, a lifelong Naval history buff.

WSJ: Peter Berg's Juggling Act: 'Battleship' and 'On Freddie Roach'

In the spring, America postponed the sale of four Aegis-class destroyers.

ECONOMIST: The forces across the strait

It is destined for Japan's fifth Aegis-class destroyer, now under construction in Nagasaki by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, maker of the World War II Zero fighter and still Japan's largest weapons producer.

FORBES: Magazine Article

It is set for Japan's fifth Aegis-class destroyer, now under construction in Nagasaki by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, maker of the World War II Zero fighter and still Japan's top weapons producer.

FORBES: The Front Line

For the PLA, anti-missile systems, Aegis-class guided-missile cruisers, near-top-of-the-line F-16s fitted out with the latest air-to-air missiles, "over-the-horizon" long-range radar - all of this equipment is either in Taiwan, on its way or "under consideration" - are threats that can be coped with militarily.

CNN: A Rogue Vote On Taiwan

The Navy, driven to meet a near-term requirement contained in a dramatically changing national ballistic missile defense (BMD) strategy, has, without any supporting analysis, chosen to back-fit and concurrently build more of the 30-year-old-design Aegis Arleigh Burke class DDG51 destroyers with only the most basic BMD capability.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Countering Beijing's new weapon