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In 2022, a 30-year shipbuilding plan of the US Navy was presented, according to which the US Navy should decommission two Independence-class coastal warships - USS Jackson (LCS-6) and USS Montgomery (LCS-8). According to the plan, the withdrawal of the ships is planned to be carried out in 2024. Interestingly, the USS Jackson (LCS-6) was commissioned in 2015, and the USS Montgomery (LCS-8) – in 2016. Both ships were built by Austal USA.
In addition, the US Navy is going to write off the aging cruiser fleet, including Ticonderoga-class ships, starting with USS Antietam (CG-54), USS Leyte Gulf (CG-55) and USS Shiloh (CG-67). This should also happen in 2024.
The US Navy plans to purchase new ships to replace the decommissioned ships. According to the first scenario, 316 ships should be in service in the US Navy by fiscal year 2052, according to another option – 327 ships, and the third option involves the construction of 367 ships. However, the military has doubts about the latter option: the Navy is not confident in the ability of the US industrial base to ensure the construction of so many ships.
In any case, huge funds will have to be allocated for the needs of shipbuilding in excess of those that have already been planned. After all, we will have to increase the level of purchases, as well as wait until companies can increase their productivity. In addition, the US Navy's shipbuilding plan causes some misunderstanding in Congress: congressmen and senators criticize the navy for the premature decommissioning of ships, although they could still serve the interests of the American state.
Nevertheless, in 2024, the Navy plans to decommission 13 ships. another 13 ships will be withdrawn in 2025, 14 ships – in 2026, 13 ships – in fiscal year 2027. For the period from 2028 to 2032, only the acquisition of one Ford-class aircraft carrier under the first two variants of the plan and two aircraft carriers of this class under the third variant of the plan is calculated. The volume of purchases of large and small surface warships and attack submarines will also be reviewed.
According to the plan, the US Navy is going to decommission the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 2025, and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN–69) in 2027. This is due to the fact that the service life of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers is designed for 50 years.
However, the implementation of the planned ideas in practice will depend, first of all, on the financial capabilities of the United States. It is not possible to achieve these goals without additional funding, but in the foreseeable future the American economy may face new risks and challenges, and then the Navy and the Pentagon will have to adapt to the financial opportunities that the United States will have and somewhat moderate their appetites for the acquisition of new warships.
