US Navy intends to decommission some of its newest warships

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

US Navy intends to decommission some of its newest warships

By DAVID SHARP
April 6, 2022

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Navy that once wanted smaller, speedy warships to chase down pirates has made a speedy pivot to Russia and China — and many of those recently built ships could be retired.

The U.S. Navy wants to decommission nine ships in the Freedom-class of littoral combat ships — warships that cost about $4.5 billion to build.

The Navy contends in its budget proposal that the move would free up $50 million per ship annually for other priorities. But it would also reduce the size of the fleet that’s already surpassed by China in sheer numbers, something that could cause members of Congress to balk.

Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, defended the proposal that emphasizes long-range weapons and modern warships, while shedding other ships ill equipped to face current threats.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-us-navy-china-congress-6697d9c7cbc047de99e225d379256e44


FILE - The USS Detroit, a Freedom-class of littoral combat ship, arrives Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Detroit. The Navy that once wanted smaller, speedy warships to chase down pirates has made a speedy pivot to Russia and China and many of those ships, like the USS Detroit, could be retired. The Navy wants to decommission nine ships in the Freedom-class, warships that cost about $4.5 billion to build. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

[multigraincracker]

1. Be cheap for Oil Execs to buy and convert into

Oligarch yachts. They can pay cash..

[Chainfire]

2. The ships aren't big enough to satisfy the demand

A boat that size would get laughed out of the most glamorous ports of the world.

[FailureToCommunicate]

3. "Oh that little thing? That's my dingy to get out to my real yacht"

[nitpicker]

4. The dinghy is only useful if it can move

Historically, the Freedom class had been plagued by combining gear problems.

Plus it never was meant to go up against near-peer competitors.

The Navy was facing a huge bill to implement newly discovered fixes across all those LCS in commission.

So, it is working on how to design and build FFG-62 Constellation, with more frigates in the class anticipated, with ((hopefully)) increased survivability, with sacrificing four feet worth of draft compared to those LCSs, including anti-sub missions.

BUT this is planned to use a new propulsion system, that has to be tested before implemented.