Just noticed that the United States Ship Battle Force Count as of 4/28/20 is 299.
11 Carriers
112 Surface combatants (including, finally, USS Zumwalt)
70 Submarines
33 Amphibious warfare ships
11 Mine warfare ships
The remainder are combat support ships, fleet support ships or auxiliary ships.
If we make it to 300 ships, that will be the first time we have hit that plateau since about the summer of 2003 when we dropped below 300. We bottomed out at 271 in 2015.
The bad news.
Much of that gain is in Littoral Combat Ships, which increased from 5 to 21.
And this is a terminology thing that I don’t fully understand, but how is Ford listed in the Active in Commission category and Tripoli isn’t? I definitely am missing something in how that category is defined. Can someone explain? I get the whole sea trials thing, so it was more a Ford comment. They both seem equally ready.
Tripoli is listed as **Special, In Service." It has completed its trials. It simply has not had its formal commissioning ceremony. It is a Battle Force Ship and could go to combat if urgently required. Basically the only thing lacking is the formal commissioning ceremony, set for this summer I believe.
Thanks. I guess that would be the whole “Commission” part that’s clearly in the title of “Active in Commission”. Which apparently Tripoli doesn’t have. I am curious about planned retirement for the amphibious ships. I think the goal was 38 with 11 amphibious assault ships, and Tripoli puts us at 10. Bougainville is being built so I’m not sure if they plan on waiting on retiring some of the Wasps. The amphibious warfare ships goal of 38 always seemed like the most realistic one.
