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sonnel. The Kennedy is now being overhauled at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and will be home ported at Mayport, Florida, when her yard period is completed in 1995.
> Cruisers: The 19 cruisers being retired include all ships of the conventionally propelled Leahy (CG-16) and Belknap (CG-26) classes—except for the Belknap herself—plus two nuclear cruisers. The Belknap has been modified extensively to serve as flagship of the Sixth Fleet and will be retained—at least for the near term.[1] [2]
The two nuclear cruisers, the Long Beach (CGN-9) and the relatively new Virginia (CGN-38), are the first nuclear surface ships to be taken out of service.
The hard-core nuclear community had long resisted decommissioning nuclear surface ships, especially the carrier Enterprise (CVN-65), which is now undergoing a rehabilitation/refueling that will probably cost in excess of $2 billion. With these two CGN retirements, the Navy will still have seven nuclear cruisers in service, but all will be retired in the next few years. Their loss will leave
the Navy’s large force of nuclear carriers with only fossil-fuel escorts, albeit with most having considerably more antiair and antisubmarine capability than the nuclear cruisers.[3]
Also, the nuclear cruiser retirements will leave only aircraft carrier engineering billets available for surface nuclear officers and enlisted specialists, which means that the officers will have no ship executive officer or command opportunities, because the CVNs are commanded by aviators. This will affect recruitment and retention of these officers who are vital to nuclear carrier operation.
> Frigates: The eight Knox (FF-1052)- class training frigates were key components of a 1991 Naval Reserve Force program. The plan was for 32 frigates to be kept in a state of “reduced maintenance” (mobilization category B), with eight ships designated as training frigates to remain operational, with composite active-reserve manning to train nucleus
crews for the other 32 ships. It was estimated that the reduced maintenance ships could be returned to full-operational status—if crews and industrial facilities were available—within 180 days. (The ships would also require some 60 to 90 days of at-sea training before they could be considered fully operational.)
The Navy plans to retain 16 Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)-class frigates in Naval Reserve Force status. Some analysts predict, however, that anticipated budget cuts over the next few years will decimate this force.
> Amphibious ships: Fourteen amphibious ships are being retired under the latest cut list, and one additional ship, the helicopter carrier Inchon (LPH-12), is being taken out of service for conversion to a mine countermeasures support ship. She should become the MCS-8.[4]
The helicopter, troop, and cargo capacities of the two helicopter carriers (LPHs) and three amphibious cargo ships (LKAs) being retired will be more than
quirements of the shrinking fleet. The two destroyer tenders are the oldest active ships in the fleet. The Navy’s oldest operating ship will be the repair ship Jason (AR-8), which was commissioned on 19 June 1944.
In addition to the five underway replenishment ships being retired, four combat store ships—the Niagara Falls (AFS-3), the White Plains (AFS-4), the San Diego (AFS-6), and the San Jose (AFS-7)—are being transferred to the Military Sealift Command for operation by civilian crews. Two ships of this class have already been assigned to the Command, the Mars (AFS-1) and Concord (AFS-5), with the seventh ship, the
Sylvania (AFS-2), scheduled to be laid up. Finally, the floating dry dock Alamogordo (ARDM-2) is being retired and has been assigned to Charleston, South Carolina, to support submarines based there.
This latest cutback in the active and Naval Reserve forces is another milestone in the continuous reduction of the fleet. More cuts will be forthcoming, while new construction will be severely limited. For example, when this column was written, the Congress was about to give final approval to the fiscal 1994 shipbuilding program consisting of six new ships and one conversion: three Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) destroyers, one Wasp (LHD-1) amphibious assault ship, two T-AGOR/AGS oceanographic/surveying ships, and one MCS mine countermeasures support ship (conversion).
The Navy had planned to build another nuclear carrier, the CVN-76, in the fiscal 1995 building program. Congress had already provided $832 million in the fiscal 1993 budget for long-lead-time nuclear components. The recently concluded “bottom-up” review by the Department of Defense validated the procurement of the CVN-76, and the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended another $3.4 billion for the ship.
Including the carrier Enterprise (now completing a three- year update) with the CVN-76, the Navy would have ten nuclear ships by the year 2003. The acceleration of that ship is also important for Newport News Shipbuilding, the nation’s only carrier-building facility, because the decision to decommission all nuclear cruisers cancels plans for six CGN overhauls at the yard during the next few years.
Finally, the judgment of Secretary of Defense Les Aspin that the General Dy- namics/Electric Boat yard will be kept in the submarine construction business regardless of cost means that at least a third Seawolf-class submarine will be built. That submarine—which will probably cost in excess of $3 billion— may be added to the fiscal 1994 ship building program.
'Also see Capi. John E. O’Neil, Jr., USN, “Which Ship for a Flagship?” U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, June 1993, pp. 84-86.
'Also see Andrew H. Bahjat, “The Navy Needs Nuclear-powered Cruisers,” U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, July 1991, p. 89.
'Seven previous ships have been configured as mine warfare support ships; see N. Polmar, The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 15th Edition (Annapolis. MD: Naval Institute Press, 1993), p. 209.
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Commissioned in 1961, the Long Beach (CGN-9) will join the Virginia (CGN-38) as the first nuclear surface ships to be taken out of service.
Table 1: Planned Decommissionings for Fiscal Year 1994
Number | Name | Comm. | Decomm. | Number | Name | Comm. | Decomm. |
AD-18 | Sierra | 1944 | Oct 1993 | FFT-1078 | Joseph Hewes | 1971 | 30 Jun 1994 |
AD-19 | Yosemite | 1944 | Jan 1994 | FFT-1079 | Bowen | 1971 | 30 Sep 1994 |
AE-24 | Pyre | 1959 | 31 May 1994 | FFT-1084 | McCandless | 1972 | 31 Aug 1994 |
AE-25 | Haleakala | 1959 | Dec 1993 | FFT-1085 | Donald B. | 1972 | 30 Jun 1994 |
AFS-2 | Sylvania | 1964 | May 1994 |
| Beaty |
|
|
AOR-2 | Milwaukee | 1969 | Jan 1994 | FFT-1089 | Jesse L. Brown | 1973 | 30 Apr 1994 |
AOR-5 | Wabash | 1971 | 30 Sep 1994 | FFT-1090 | Ainsworth | 1973 | 31 Aug 1994 |
ARDM-2 | Alamogordo | — | Feb 1994 | FFT-1095 | Truett | 1974 | 30 Jul 1994 |
AS-31 | Hunley | 1962 | May 1994 | FFT-1097 | Moinester | 1974 | 28 May 1994 |
CG-16 | Leahy | 1962 | Oct 1993 | LKA-114 | Durham | 1969 | 14 Jan 1994 |
CG-17 | Harry E Yamell | 1963 | 29 Oct 1993 | LKA-115 | Mobile | 1969 | 21 Jan 1994 |
CG-18 | Worden | 1963 | 1 Oct 1993 | LKA-117 | El Paso | 1970 | Jan 1994 |
CG-19 | Dale | 1963 | Jan/Feb 1994 | LPH-7 | Guadalcanal | 1963 | 30 Sep 1994 |
CG-20 | Richmond | 1964 | Jan/Feb 1994 | LPH-12 | Inchon | 1970 | 30 Sep 1994 |
| K. Turner |
|
| LST-1183 | Peoria | 1970 | 28 Jan 1994 |
CG-21 | Gridley | 1963 | 10 Dec 1993 | LST-1185 | Schenectady | 1970 | Dec 1993 |
CG-22 | England | 1963 | 22 Jan 1994 | LST-1186 | Cayuga | 1970 | 30 Jul 1994 |
CG-23 | Halsey | 1963 | 28 Jan 1994 | LST-1187 | Tuscaloosa | 1970 | 4 Feb 1994 |
CG-24 | Reeves | 1964 | not determined | LST-1188 | Saginaw | 1971 | 29 Jan 1994 |
CG-27 | Josephus | 1965 | 6 Jan 1994 | LST-1189 | San | 1971 | 30 Sep 1994 |
| Daniels |
|
|
| Bernardino |
|
|
CG-28 | Wainwright | 1966 | 1 Nov 1993 | LST-1190 | Boulder | 1971 | 28 Feb 1994 |
CG-29 | Jouett | 1966 | 28 Jan 1994 | LST-1191 | Racine | 1971 | 2 Oct 1993 |
CG-30 | Home | 1967 | 4 Feb 1994 | LST-1192 | Spartanburg | 1971 | 5 Feb 1994 |
CG-31 | Sterett | 1967 | 24 Mar 1994 |
| County |
|
|
CG-32 | William H. | 1966 | 11 Feb 1994 | LST-1 93 | Fairfax County | 1971 | 12 Feb 1994 |
| Standley |
|
| MSO-440 | Exploit | 1954 | 15 Dec 1993 |
CG-33 | Fox | 1966 | 15 Apr 1994 | MSO-455 | Implicit | 1954 | Jul 1994 |
CG-34 | Biddle | 1967 | 30 Nov 1993 | MSO-488 | Conquest | 1955 | Jun 1944 |
CGN-9 | Long Beach | 1961 | Aug 1994 | MSO-489 | Gallant | 1955 | Apr 1994 |
CGN-38 | Virginia | 1976 | 30 Sep 1994 | MSO-492 | Pledge | 1956 | not determined |
CV-60 | Saratoga | 1956 | Sep 1994 |
|
|
|
|
Table 2: Navy Battle Force Ships (End of Fiscal Year)
FY1992 FY1993 FY1994
Strategic Missile Submarines | 30 | 22 | 16 |
Attack Submarines | 85 | 88 | 84 |
Aircraft Carriers | 14 | 13 | 12 |
Surface Combatants' | 132 | 125 | 123 |
Amphibious Ships | 59 | 55 | 52 |
Combat Logistics Ships*' | 50 | 50 | 47 |
Patrol / Support / Mine Warfare Ships' / *' | 96 | 90 | 78 |
Total: | (466) | (443) | (413) |
' Includes NRF ships.
" Includes MSC-operated ships.
The Navy has named another 58 ships—and one floating dry dock— that will be taken out of service during fiscal year 1994 as part of the massive fleet cutback. These will reduce the number of so-called “battle force ships” from the 435 ships on the Naval Vessel Register on
[2] October 1993 to another milestone en route to what will likely be a fleet of some 300 to possibly 350 active and Naval Reserve Force ships by the year 2000. Although no submarines are on the latest list, several more strategic missile submarines, as well as attack submarines, are expected to stand down during 1994.
Meanwhile, new-construction ships are very few in number, although the Navy will possibly soon begin building the ninth nuclear-propelled Nimitz (CVN-68)-class carrier as well as the highly controversial third Seawolf (SSN-21 )-class submarine.
The latest decommissioning list includes the oldest ships on active service—except for the venerable relic Constitution—and some relatively new ships with several years of service life remaining. Especially decimated are the ranks of cruisers, the recently established reserve frigate training program, and the amphibious forces.
Additionally, four more major replenishment ships are being transferred from the active fleet to civilian crews under the aegis of the Military Sealift Command. ^Aircraft carriers: The Saratoga (CV-60) had previously been scheduled for retirement in fiscal 1995. Although she underwent a 28-month modernization in 1980-1983 that was to have added 15 years to her service life, the Saratoga is being cut as the carrier force declines from 14 ships to 11 plus one reserve/training carrier.
The reserve/training carrier will be the John F. Kennedy (CV-67), the last conventionally propelled carrier built by the Navy. Unlike previous training carriers (which were redesignated CVT or AVT), the Kennedy will be fully operational and able to deploy rapidly in an emergency situation. The ship’s complement will be 80% active-duty and 20% reserve per
offset by the new amphibious ships joining the fleet of the LHD and LSD types. But the tank landing ships being retired will be sorely missed. The fleet will have only five Newport (LST-1179)-class ships remaining in active service—for perhaps a year or two. (Two of the LSTs being cut are assigned to the Naval Reserve Force.)
Beyond their beaching capability, the LSTs are important as carriers of amphibian assault vehicles (AAV, formerly LVTP). Although other amphibious ships can embark these “amtracs,” the LSD/LPD types will probably have their docking wells filled with air cushion landing craft and conventional landing craft, while the larger helicopter ships with docking wells will be standing too far offshore to launch amtracs effectively.
The follow-on amphibious ships—now designated LX, which will be the numerical replacement for the LSTs as well as other amphibs being retired—will not have bow ramps.
> Mine warfare ships: The last of the Korean War-vintage minesweepers are being retired. The five MSOs on the cut list are operated by the Naval Reserve Force with composite active-reserve crews.
> Auxiliary ships: The auxiliaries being retired are superfluous to the support re-