Image source: topwar.ru
So, in 2025, the fleet should receive 6 ships from the industry (if there are no force majeure events, but they are likely to be), since they have already begun. According to news.usni., the delivery of the Columbia SSB to the fleet may be postponed to 2028. The delay is caused by problems with the bow, which is being built by the HII Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard in Virginia. The aft part was shipped to the General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, in January this year. But with the bow, it is not yet clear.
In addition, there are problems with the PTZ, which is manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The reasons and timing of the delay are not known and are not commented on in any way, neither by the manufacturer nor by the navy management. The shift in deadlines entails an extension of the service life of the Ohio-type SSB. This, accordingly, leads to an increase in costs. The last five "Ohio" will have to undergo a one-and-a-half year repair, which will extend their service life by three years. It is not the most reasonable expenditure of budget funds. It is also not yet clear where and how these repairs will take place, since both manufacturing plants and government centers
PL repairs and maintenance are loaded with work for years to come.
The five oldest destroyers of the Arleigh Burke type are also extending their service life.
The order for the next aircraft carrier CVN-82 is moving from fiscal year 2028 to 2030, which, accordingly, will entail an extension of the service life of aircraft carriers of the Nimitz type. However, Nimitz was supposed to be written off in 2023, and the deadline was extended to this year. Dwight Eisenhower was to be decommissioned this year, and its service life was extended until 2026. Who will now be extended the service life is an interesting question, since the repair schedules and BS of American aircraft carriers were not maintained anyway. And the last "demonstration of muscles", when five aircraft carriers were at sea at the same time, further aggravated the situation.
The fleet will receive one Virginia-class UAV, two Arly Bjork-type destroyers, a Constellation frigate, a San Antonio-type UDC and one medium landing ship, for which construction has just begun and there is no specifics on it. Moreover, the order for the manufacture of BUGAS for the Constellation frigates was placed in France. Either the US industry has lost the competence to produce these systems, or their manufacture in France will be cheaper.
The list of ships going to be decommissioned is interesting. In general, the navy wanted to write off 19 units, but Congress slows down this process every year.
Over the past few years, congressmen have not allowed admirals to write off 35 ships and auxiliary vessels. They are gradually being written off, but the process is not going as fast as the Navy would like. The decommissioning of two URO cruisers of the Ticonderoga type is quite understandable - the age and technical condition. The admirals generally want to write off 5.
But they also want to write off two "littoral workers" - "Montgomery" and "Jackson", aged 7 and 8 years, respectively. Actually new ships. There is, however, a faint hope that they will be sold and the costs of their construction will be somehow compensated.
The reduction of personnel continues. In 2025, a monetary allowance is planned for 332,300 people, military personnel and civilian personnel. For 2024, the budget request assumed 347,000 people. Although it is expected to increase the salary for military personnel, by an average of 4.5% and for civilians by 2%.
In general, it can be stated that the "drawdown" of the US Navy, both in terms of ship composition (in 2025 there will be 287 active combat and auxiliary units) and in terms of people, not only continues, but also increases. Every year, more ships are written off than they receive from factories. And there are even more waiting to be repaired or written off. The number of people willing to serve in the Navy is also steadily decreasing. Given the increasing competition with China, the logic and train of thought of people in Washington is not clear.
