Twelve ships face axe in US budget cuts

The US Navy is planning to retire nine Ticonderoga-class cruisers and three Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships (LSDs) in Fiscal Years 2013 (FY13) and 2014 as austerity measures hit the Department of Defense (DoD).

In an internal email obtained by Jane's , navy budget planners have listed the ships that are earmarked for decommissioning as the Pentagon seeks to reduce its spending by USD450 billion during the next 10 years.

Navy spokesperson Lieutenant Courtney Hillson told Jane's that the service would not comment on any budget-related fleet changes before the DoD's spending plans are released in early 2012.

The cruisers slated for decommissioning in FY13 are USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Anzio (CG 68), USS Vicksburg (CG 69) and USS Cape St George (CG 71), with USS Princeton (CG 59), USS Cowpens (CG 63), USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Chosin (CG 65) and USS Hue City (CG 66) following in FY14. The nine combatants entered service between 1989 and 1993.

The amphibious platforms scheduled for decommissioning were identified as USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) and USS Tortuga (LSD 46). The trio entered service between 1985 and 1990.