The Iconic U.S. Navy Giants Facing Their Last Days at Sea Before Retirement

"With 2025 coming to a close in a couple months and the fiscal year just starting-despite a government shutdown- the United States Navy is once again pressed with the question of reevaluating its fleet. Each year, the Navy decides which ships are ready for retirement and which will continue to be part of the fleet. The Navy also adds new ships as a means to introduce new tech and replace the older vessels being retired or sold off."

"In terms of the current structure of the U.S. Navy destroyers account for roughly 30% of active vessels and submarines about a quarter, with cruisers, littoral combat ships and amphibious assault ships filling out the rest. With its newest round of commissionings, the Navy is looking to further add to its attack submarine capabilities with the Virginia-class and to its destroyer fleet with more Arleigh-Burkes on the way."

"Out of all the ships on the chopping block in the near future, there are a few main classes that are seeing notable reductions in their numbers. The Los Angeles-class and Ohio-class submarines each have some notable vessels that are being decommissioned. At the same time, the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are slowly being phased out as well. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the upcoming Navy decommissionings."

With the fiscal year underway and 2025 ending soon, the United States Navy must reevaluate fleet composition, retiring some ships and commissioning new ones. Destroyers make up roughly 30% of active vessels and submarines about 25%, with cruisers, littoral combat ships, and amphibious assault ships completing the balance. New commissions will expand attack submarine capacity with Virginia-class boats and increase destroyer numbers with additional Arleigh Burke-class ships. Notable planned reductions include Los Angeles-class and Ohio-class submarines and a gradual phase-out of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, to be replaced over time by Ford-class supercarriers under construction.

Read at 24/7 Wall St.