Comings and Goings
In all, six ships joined or rejoined the fleet in 2011, while another five surface ships and three submarines ended active service during the year. Here’s a look at all the movements:
• Carriers
Construction of the second ship of the Gerald Ford class of aircraft carriers began on Feb. 25 at Newport News Shipbuilding, and on May 28, the service announced that it would be called the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), becoming the second aircraft carrier to carry the name of the 35th president of the United States and World War II Navy lieutenant.
The previous Kennedy (CV 76) was the last conventional aircraft carrier built by the United States and was decommissioned in March 2007.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) transits the Indian Ocean. Abraham Lincoln was in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility as part of a deployment to the western Pacific and Indian oceans to support coalition efforts. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Colby K. Neal
• Surface Combatants
In the surface forces, two new guided-missile destroyers brought some historic Navy names back to the fleet.
The William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), was delivered to the Navy on Feb. 23 and commissioned May 19 in Pascagoula, Miss., though the official ceremony took place at Mobile, Ala., on June 4.
The newest ship to be named for Adm. Raymond Spruance, USS Spruance (DDG 111), was delivered to the Navy on April 15 and was commissioned in Key West, Fla., on Oct. 1.
Meanwhile, the next ship in the destroyer line, Michael Murphy (DDG 112), was christened May 7 and launched May 8 at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Also, contracts were awarded for four more Arliegh Burke-class destroyers. Two will be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., while the remaining two will be built at Bath Iron Works.
Also in Bath on Nov. 17 the keel was laid for the first of three scheduled Zumwalt-class destroyers. The contract for the second ship in that class was awarded on Sept. 15, also to Bath Iron Works.
The Navy’s fleet of guided-missile frigates shrank by two in 2011, with the Jarrett (FFG 33) and Doyle (FFG 39) being decommissioned on May 26 and July 29, respectively. The Navy has scheduled all frigates for decommissioning by the end of fiscal year 2015.
After two years with at least one littoral combat ship (LCS) being commissioned, 2011 came and went without the addition of any new LCSs to the fleet. The next ship in line, the Coronado (LCS 4), slated to be christened in late 2011 in Mobile, Ala., was christened to Jan. 14, 2012.
Meanwhile, four more LCS joined the pipeline, with Milwaukee (LCS 5) being laid down and the contracts and names announced for the Jackson (LCS 6), Detroit (LCS 7), and Montgomery (LCS 8). A fifth LCS, Little Rock (LCS 9), was named and announced as well, but the contract had not been let by the end of the year.
Sailors aboard a riverine patrol boat assigned to Navy Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 3, Detachment 1, conduct a live-fire exercise during Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2012, an annual deployment of U.S. military training teams to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Juancarlos Paz
The Navy also got a boost in its coastal patrol fleet, as the Zephyr (PC 8), Shamal (PC 13), and Tornado (PC 14) returned to the fleet from the U.S. Coast Guard and were recommissioned.
• Amphibious Types
The largest ship to go in 2011 was the amphibious assault ship Nassau (LHA 4), decommissioned March 31. Two older landing platform docks, Cleveland (LPD 7) and Dubuque (LPD 8), decommissioned as well, and all three were put in reserve status.
The moves make way for San Diego (LPD 22), which was in its final stages of construction at the end of 2011. In addition, two others, Anchorage (LPD 23) and Arlington (LPD 24), were also christened in 2011.
• Submarines
Three fast-attack submarines left the fleet in 2011, including the lead ship of her class, Los Angeles (SSN 688), along with Philadelphia (SSN 690) and Memphis (SSN 691). Those moves made way for the fast-attack California (SSN 781) to be delivered Aug. 7 and commissioned Oct. 29 at Norfolk, though her homeport is slated to be Groton, Conn.
Meanwhile, the next two subs in that class also moved ahead. Mississippi (SSN 782) launched Oct. 13 and was christened Dec. 3 while the keel for Minnesota (SSN 783) was laid down in a May 20 ceremony at Newport News.
This article was first published in Defense: Review Edition 2011/2012.