JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As part of its budget proposal for the 2023 fiscal year, the U.S. Navy will seek to decommission eight to 10 of its Freedom class littoral combat ships, according to a report by Politico, which cites three people with knowledge of the proposal.
This comes despite some of the vessels being almost brand new. Politico noted that the Navy and Department of Defense declined to confirm or deny the FY 2023 budget request. According to an article by The Drive, the oldest example that’s still on duty is just seven years old.
The article by The Drive adds that the Navy in 2021 said that it would take years to put in place critical fixes to propulsion systems in all Freedom class vessels that it had acquired.
Ad
Apart from the Freedom class, the Independence class is the other type of LCS in use by the Navy.
The U.S. Navy’s website states that six Freedom Class littoral combat ships have a home at Naval Station Mayport. A request for comment from Mayport was not delivered on Thursday night.
Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax – All rights reserved.
Read More: U.S. Navy wants to retire up to 10 littoral combat ships in next budget