SECNAV: Old cruisers 'eating us up'

WASHINGTON - The Navy has been trying to convince Congress to let it decommission its Ticonderoga class cruiser fleet by making cost-based arguments. It then tried readiness arguments, and a drain on the ship repair industry. Congress basically hasn’t bought it entirely and continues to limit the number (5) that can be retired before the end of their 35- year service life. The sea-service is now trying a new approach: Safety of the crews. On March 9 at the McAleese Defense Conference, SECNAV Carlos Del Toro said the Navy doesn’t want to continue to operate some of its worst-off cruisers because it’s not safe, and would be irresponsible to continue upgrades to some “at great risk to personnel safety.” Del Toro said those who question the Navy’s desire to retire these worn-out ships haven’t experienced the challenges of having to repair aged ships. CNO Adm. Mike Gilday spoke afterwards noting two cruisers on deployment had to stop for repairs for below-the-waterline leaks this year. A third - Vella Gulf in 2021 - had to return to its homeport twice at the start of a carrier strike group deployment with fuel tank leaks. CNO said the Ticonderoga cruisers do little to contribute to modern war-fighting needs, despite carrying about 122 vertical launching system cells. Seven are in extended service-life extension and modernization, which requires manpower, time lost at repair yards and costing tens of millions of dollars more annually than the Navy has budgeted. “They’re eating us alive,” Gilday said of the cruisers. The Navy’s report to Congress in December 2020 on annual plans for cruisers to be placed out of commission and in Reserve in 2022 include San Jacinto (CG-56), Monterey (CG-61), Hue City (CG-66), Anzio (CG-68), Vella Gulf (CG-72), and Port Royal (CG-73). In July 21, Lake Champlain (CG-57) was added to the list. The 2023 plan includes Bunker Hill (CG-52) and Mobile Bay (CG-53); 2024 - Antietam (CG-54) and Shiloh (CG-67); and in 2026 - Chancellorsville (CG-62). A final budget passed in December 2021 prohibits the Navy from using funds to plan to or retire, inactivate, more than five guided missile cruisers. The budget did not specify which cruisers. (Defense News 03/09/22) Mississippi Note: Of the 27 completed cruisers, 19 were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and eight by Bath (Maine) Iron Works.