Navy Ships To Be Decommissioned.

[Dreadnought]

Look at the bright side of this, for all we know we have a new CIC coming in the very near future, idealisms change as well as Administrations. Reagan was a clear example of that. However, if the hull life is not there then they must go if they cannot be upgraded or if judged too expensive to upgrade. Lets not forget how many of the Spruances/Ticos had met their end that could have been upgraded as well. If its not worth it in the changing budgets then its not worth it. As mentioned, another Administration may see that differently and may force Naval ship designers to tighten up according to newer budgets.

I do hope though that they reuse some of these names for future CG's.

[JRT]

According to US Defense 2013 Budget Proposal Released the ships to be cut are:

Retirement of seven guided missile cruisers: USS Cowpens (CG 63), USS Anzio (CG 68), USS Vicksburg (CG 69), USS Port Royal (CG 73), in FY13; and USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Chosin (CG 65) and USS Hue City (CG 66) in FY14. Two Amphibious Dock Landing Ships will also be retired during the FYDP: USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and USS Tortuga (LSD 46). All nine ships will be retired before the end of their service lives which is consistent with working more efficiently and cost-effectively in this resource-constrained environment.

Stupidly, the list includes 7 of the 11 newest cruisers, but the older ones have probably had their mid-life rebuilds and these haven't yet... (excluding Port Royal, we all know why she's on that list)

Below is directly quoted from DoD Defense Budget Priorites and Choices - January 2012

...we will reduce the number of ships by slowing the pace of building new ships and by accelerating the retirement of some existing ships.
These include:

• Retiring 7 cruisers early - 6 did not have ballistic missile defense (BMD) capability,
  and the seventh with BMD capability is in need of costly hull repairs
• Slipping a large deck amphibious ship (LHA) by 1 year
• Slipping 1 new Virginia class submarine outside the FYDP
• Reducing Littoral Combat Ships by 2 ships in the FYDP
• Reducing Joint High Speed Vessels by 8 in the FYDP
• Retiring 2 smaller amphibious ships (LSD) early and moving their replacement
  outside the FYDP

If Port Royal is too far gone, then I can see sending it to the grave yard and picking its bones for usable spares, and using its sytems in converting one of the remaining six to BMD capability. That leaves five.

If they can't afford to convert the remaining five Ticos to something BMD capable, then they could use some of those for LCS squadron command, where BMD isn't a big priority, but where their C2, ASuW, AAW, etc., would be useful.

Not sure if these Ticos have the MK 45 Mod 4 5-inch guns or an older variant, but with the Mod 4 and the 5-inch variant of LRLAP (developed from the 155mm AGS variant) a Tico could provide NSFS with accuracy and precision at 50+ miles, which might be very useful in support of smaller amphibious operations.

[RustyBattleship]

The reason why they Navy wants the propellers and shafts back is because the Ticos, Spruances & Perrys all ran on gas turbines. Since the turbines only run in one direction the propellers are all Variable Pitch bladed and the shafts contain all of the special rods, tubes, wiring, etc. to control the blade pitch. Therefore they are very expensive and can be use in new construction.

As for the rudders also being removed, I feel sorry for the tug boat crew as the ship will see-saw side to side without some sort of dampening with the rudders locked and no propeller drag to keep the pointy end forward.

[USSWisconsin]

It will be interesting to see if they build a new CG class, or use AB's - perhaps with a new flight to fill the CG role.
It might make sense to have a standardized hulled LCS, AB and CVN force for the USN surface fleet - still I'd like to see a 5000-6000 ton blue water frigate too.

[surfgun]

Cruiser Vicksburg has deployed for the final time.


By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nick C. Scott, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs

USS VICKSBURG, At Sea (NNS) -- Guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) departed its homeport of Mayport, Fla., March 9 to make its final deployment, this time as part of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group.

Family members, friends and well-wishers gathered on the pier in the early morning hours to bid farewell to loved ones and wish them good luck.

"This is the first time I've deployed," said Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 3rd Class Ronnie Mathis temporarily assigned to Vicksburg from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

"It was difficult to leave my six-week old daughter and wife behind, but the crew is really nice and is helping me get through it," said Mathis.

Deploying can be challenging for a lot of Sailors, even seasoned veterans who still must make sure all affairs ashore are in order.

"It doesn't really get any easier," said Navy Counselor 1st Class Brian S. Olinger, the career counselor aboard Vicksburg. "I've been in the Navy for 19 years and this is my fifth and final sea deployment. No one wants to leave their loved ones behind, but we have a mission."

This deployment marks the end of Vicksburg's 20 years of service since its commissioning in 1992.

"The mission must come first, the mission is why we are here in the first place," said Ensign Michael E. Fitzpatrick, first lieutenant for Vicksburg. "The crew understands that and they are very professional."

Although this is the last deployment for Vicksburg, mission readiness is still the key to success.

"We must not view this deployment in terms of being the last deployment," said Capt. Logan Jones, commanding officer of Vicksburg. "We are not looking for any final glory."

Jones also said that "at the end of the day we know that we will have served with honor, but we must not react differently than we normally would in any given situation."

Vicksburg's commanding officer is just one of the ship's crew looking forward to completing a successful deployment as part of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group team.

"I look forward to a deployment of working with maritime partners, flying missions and providing security," said Jones. "My job is to leave with 370 Sailors and return with 370 Sailors and that is what I intend to do."

Vicksburg is scheduled to decommission in 2013.

The Enterprise Carrier Strike Group is comprised of Enterprise, Carrier Air Wing 1, Destroyer Squadron 2, Vicksburg (CG 69), and guided-missile destroyers USS Porter (DDG 78), USS Nitze (DDG 94), and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95).

[surfgun]

Here is a listing of the vessels to be decommissioned in fiscal year 2013.

11 ships to be decommissioned in fiscal 2013
By Jacqueline Klimas - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Mar 14, 2012 16:53:59 EDT
Six frigates, four cruisers and an aircraft carrier are set to be decommissioned during fiscal 2013, according to a Navy message released Monday.

NAVADMIN 087/12, released by Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. John Blake, includes deactivation dates and the fates of the ships. The six frigates will be sold to foreign militaries, while the four cruisers will be dismantled.

Enterprise, the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the oldest active-duty warship in the fleet, will move to a shipyard March 15, 2013. There, it will await a date for decommissioning.

Enterprise left on its final deployment Sunday.

FISCAL 2013 DECOMMISSIONING SCHEDULE
Oct. 31: frigate Crommelin.

Feb. 15: frigate Underwood.

Feb. 27: frigate Curts.

March 15: carrier Enterprise and frigate Carr.

March 22: frigate Klakring.

March 31: cruisers Cowpens, Anzio, Vicksburg and Port Royal.

Aug. 30: frigate Reuben James.

[RustyBattleship]

.

FISCAL 2013 DECOMMISSIONING SCHEDULE
Oct. 31: frigate Crommelin.

Feb. 15: frigate Underwood.

Feb. 27: frigate Curts.

March 15: carrier Enterprise and frigate Carr.

March 22: frigate Klakring.

March 31: cruisers Cowpens, Anzio, Vicksburg and Port Royal.

Aug. 30: frigate Reuben James.

Maybe Tom Clancy will buy the Reuben James. He made that ship sort of famous in his book "Hunt for the Red October". The real USS Reuben James also played her own part in the movie based upon that novel, with Sean Connery playing the Captain of the Russian sub.

Also, the name should be carried on to another ship as the first Reuben James was a Destroyer sunk by a German U-boat BEFORE we were officially in WW II.

[ATF83]

I realize that I'm fairly ignorant about a lot of things, but the oldest of those cruisers is only four months older than the Arleigh Burke.

[TopHatter]

I realize that I'm fairly ignorant about a lot of things, but the oldest of those cruisers is only four months older than the Arleigh Burke.

It's not always about physical age. The Tico's design is far older than the Burkes and they require more crew (nearly 100 more sailors) and maintenance.
Their hull design and machinery is late 60's/early 70's design for example.

Having said that, I'm still shaking my head at their retirement. On the bright side, the Navy and Congress made the no-brainer move to restart the Burke production line.
Unlike the LCS and LPD-17 programs, it actually turns out warships that work. (Well, it better...considering they've been building them since 1988)

[GrayGhost1975]

Why this rush to scrap the cruisers? Wouldn't it make sense to keep a few in mothballs for a little while?

[ChrisV71]

I would also mothball them instead of scrapping them. To keep them around for spare parts/hulls if nothing else...

[TopHatter]

There's no indication that they'll be scrapped, just decommissioned.

[GrayGhost1975]

NAVADMIN 087/12, released by Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. John Blake, includes deactivation dates and the fates of the ships. The six frigates will be sold to foreign militaries, while the four cruisers will be dismantled.

I hope that's incorrect but I'm not gonna hold my breath.

[ATF83]

Here is some discussion on a blog:
Information Dissemination: The FY13 Inactivation Schedule

That blog includes this information which says that the cruisers are to be "disposed of my dismantlement." Does that mean scrapped fairly soon without the possibility of being mothballed?
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-np...2/NAV12087.txt

[TopHatter]

I stand corrected on the scrapping...although the wording

NOTE 3: VESSEL WILL BE DECOMMISSIONED AND DISPOSED OF BY DISMANTLEMENT.
REQUEST USFFC AND CPF COORDINATE REQUIREMENTS FOR UTILIZING VESSELS IN A
LOGISTIC SUPPORT STATUS PRIOR TO THEIR DISMANTLEMENT WITH OPNAV N8F VIA N86.

seems to indicate they'll be stripped (as if that was ever in doubt) before being scrapped.

It's possible that this is a way of delaying their scrapping, i.e. stripping somewhat slowly and selectively.

Or not.