The Incredible Shrinking US Navy Will Get Even Smaller Soon

Share this link on Facebook

Share this page on X (Twitter)

Share this link on LinkedIn

Share this page on Reddit

Email a link to this page

The Navy is expected to lose another 14 ships by the end of the fiscal year, many without immediate replacements.

The United States Navy is already the smallest it has been at any time since before World War I, but it could end fiscal year 2026 (FY26) on September 30 with more than a dozen fewer ships. Newly released documents list 14 additional vessels the sea service would like to retire before the end of the fiscal year.

The list includes three nuclear-powered submarines, two cruisers, one littoral combat ship, one dock landing ship, and six support ships. The inactivation dates range from this past January to September.

Three Submarines Are Well Past Their Sell-By Date

The three nuclear-powered boats the Navy plans to retire include:

The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Newport News (SSN-750), commissioned in June 1989;

The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN-757), commissioned in June 1991; and

The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN-729), commissioned in February 1984.

The US Navy is now phasing out its oldest Los Angeles-class boats, which have been in service for more than 40 years, and replacing them with newer Virginia-class........

© The National Interest