Ticonderoga Class Modernization

As you know, the Navy has been attempting to early retire the Ticonderoga class cruisers for several years now.  They’ve put forth various plans and Congress has repeatedly slapped them down.  That hasn’t stopped the Navy from scheming to achieve the desired retirements.  It’s only made the Navy more creative and devious about how they go about it. 

After the last attempt at hidden retirements, Congress forced the Navy to adopt the ‘2/4/6’ plan which called for 2 cruisers per year to enter a ‘modernization’ program, 4 years to complete the modernization, and a maximum of 6 cruisers in modernization at one time.

It’s important to understand that this program results in a permanent reduction in the number of cruisers by 6 since the modernized cruisers will re-enter the fleet only as one-for-one replacements for retiring cruisers.  Thus, the Navy got what they wanted, at least partially.

So, what’s the current status of the ‘modernization’ program?  Surprisingly, it’s very difficult to get information.

Here’s the list of cruisers inducted into the modernization program, thus far:

2015 

USS Cowpens (CG-63)

USS Gettysburg (CG- 64)

2016  

USS Vicksburg (CG- 69)

USS Chosin (CG- 65)

2017  

USS Anzio (CG-68)

USS Cape St. George (CG- 71)

Now, in 2019, it’s been 4 years and the first two cruisers should be coming out of modernization.  According to Navy Recognition website, the Gettysburg is being prepared to re-enter the fleet in March 2020 under a $150M contract with BAE Systems in Norfolk.  Gettysburg will be replacing the Bunker Hill (CG-52), scheduled to retire in 2020.

Starting in January 2019, the Gettysburg will undergo extensive repair and upgrade work that will return the ship to full capability after nearly four years of inactive status under the Navy’s cruiser modernization program. (1)

The key point, here, is that the cruiser has NOT been undergoing continuous modernization since entering the modernization program in 2105, as you might reasonably suppose.  Instead, it has been sitting idle in inactive status.  Most people do not realize this aspect of the ‘modernization’ program.  The program is really a way for the Navy to idle cruisers for several years and then bring them back when another cruiser is retired – thus, an effective permanent decrease in the cruiser fleet size.

USS Gettysburg Sitting Inactive While Undergoing "Modernization"

One might also note that the 4 year limit is being violated by some months.

It is also unclear exactly what is being modernized.  The Navy claims the usual mishmash of vague improvement lists such as,

… installation of a new Aegis combat system, new communications suite and the Consolidated Afloat Network Enterprise Systems (CANES); and renovate the crew’s living spaces aboard the 27-year-old ship. (1)

It’s unclear, though, just how much improvement in combat capability will occur.  For example, the ‘new Aegis combat system’ is, as best I can determine, just a software upgrade and could have been done, pierside, at any time without a 4 year ‘modernization’ program.  Crew living space improvements have nothing to do with combat capability.  CANES appears to be a consolidation of existing networks – nice, but not a direct combat enhancement.

It’s also interesting to note the cost of the modernization.  At $150M, this is not a very extensive modernization by today’s cost standards. 

Given the limited scope of the modernization and the moderate cost, one can’t help but ask, ‘why did it require 4 years?’.  Well, as you now see, it didn’t.  The first three years were spent in inactive, idle status.  The actual work only requires a year and that’s probably stretching things out a bit.  The real purpose of the program was to idle as many cruisers as Congress would allow for as long as Congress would allow.  We’re trying to grow the fleet to 355 ships or so and yet we’re idling the most capable cruisers in the world.  Hmm …

Here’s the retirement schedule (3):

2020 

USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)

USS Bunker Hill (CG- 52)

2021  

USS Antietam (CG- 54)

USS Leyte Gulf (CG- 55)

2022  

USS San Jacinto (CG-56)

USS Lake Champlain (CG- 57)

2024

USS Philippine Sea (CG-58)

USS Princeton (CG-59)

2025

USS Normandy (CG-60)

USS Monterey (CG-61)

2026

USS Chancellorsville (CG-62)

Just recently, the Navy has, apparently, indicated its intention to cancel the cruiser modernization program:

The FY 2020 budget request also notes the Navy’s intention to cancel a planned cruiser modernization and life-extension program – which the service has asked to do previously and Congress would not agree to. (2)

What the Navy intends to do at that point is unknown.  We’ll have to wait and see Congress’ reaction to the Navy’s new plan but it’s unlikely to be positive.

In summary, the ‘modernization’ program was clearly a fraud intended to idle cruisers and, in that regard, the Navy has partially succeeded in bypassing Congress’ intent.  Where the program goes from here remains to be seen.

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(1)Navy Recognition website, “BAE Systems to Modernize U.S. Navy Tico-class Cruiser USS Gettysburg“, 27-Aug-2018,

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2018/august-2018-navy-naval-defense-news/6458-bae-systems-to-modernize-u-s-navy-tico-class-cruiser-uss-gettysburg.html

(2)USNI News website, “Large Surface Combatant Program Delayed Amid Pivot Towards Unmanned, Other Emerging Tech”, Megan Eckstein, 13-Mar-2019,

https://news.usni.org/2019/03/13/large-surface-combatant-program-delayed-amid-pivot-towards-unmanned-other-emerging-tech

(3)Defense News website, “The US Navy will start losing its largest surface combatants in 2020”, David B. Larter, 8-Oct-2017,

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2017/10/09/the-us-navy-will-start-losing-its-largest-surface-combatants-in-2020/

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