Reversing course for early DDG 51s?

The search for budget savings to apply to the Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan may have the sea-service scrapping its initial plan to extend the life of the fleet’s oldest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers (DDG 51), James Geurts, the Navy’s assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition, told members of the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness on March 12. The subcommittee was wanting to know how a recently formulated plan to possibly retire 27 Flight I and Flight II Arleigh Burke destroyers fits with the Navy’s goal of a 350-ship fleet. Just days ago Geurts wrote a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee detailing how the Navy is considering retiring the first several DDG 51s instead of extending their life-service to 45 years. “What is the business case for this decision,” asked Rep. Doug Lamborn, (R-Colo.), subcommittee’s ranking member. In 2018, the Navy plan was to extend the life of all Ashleigh Burke destroyers by 10 years, giving them an expected 45-year service life. Flight I and Flight II Arleigh Burkes would be upgraded to Aegis Baseline 9 or 10 or Aegis BMD 5.4. Since Geurt’s appearance at SASC, several media have reported the Navy was reversing course and scuttling the plan. Geurts said the plan is not finalized and, if adopted, would not occur until the 2026-2030 timeframe. The Navy is squeezing request dollars for priority programs such as the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. (Source: USNI News 03/12/20) Gulf Coast Note: Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard is the builder-of-record for the Aegis DDG 51 class of guided missile destroyers, according to its website. https://news.usni.org/2020/03/12/navy-considers-reversing-course-on-arleigh-burke-class-life-extension