The USS Jackson (LCS 6) on Friday, May 12, 2023 in San Diego, Calif., sits tied up pier side at Naval Base San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda, The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)
(Tribune News Service) — The Navy is proposing to decommission four San Diego-based warships, including a pair of $440 million vessels that are far from the end of their scheduled service life.
The ships are among 10 mostly older vessels across the fleet that the Navy wants to remove from active duty during fiscal year 2025.
The idea was officially raised Monday when the Navy sought a budget of $257.6 billion. Roughly $53.7 billion that would go to the Marine Corps, a component of the Navy.
The Navy proposes to decommission the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown and two Independence-class littoral combat ships, the USS Jackson and USS Montgomery.
The latter vessels, known as LCS, are designed to serve for at least 25 years. But Jackson and Montgomery entered active duty less than a decade ago. The Navy is decommissioning many LCS early because their operating costs are higher than anticipated, and there are doubts about the vessels’ ability to defend themselves against missile attacks.
The USS Germantown distinguished itself during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It has been in service for 37 years, longer than anticipated. The USS Lake Erie served for 30 years, its normal design life.
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