Aircraft carriers 1989-2005
During the 1980s the Reagan administration set a goal of 15 aircraft carriers. This force level was achieved in 1986 with the completion of Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Thereafter the United States began its replacement cycle - every three years, a new CVN was completed, replacing an older carrier. The replacements were as follows:
1989: Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) replaced Coral Sea (CV-43), which went into reserve
1992: George Washington (CVN-73) replaced Midway (CV-41), which became a training carrier, AVT-41, replacing the ancient Lexington (AVT-16), which became a museum ship
1995: John C. Stennis (CVN-74) replaced Ranger (CV-61), which went into reserve
1998: Harry S Truman (CVN-75) replaced Saratoga (CV-60), which went into reserve
2001: Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) replaced Forrestal (CV-59), which became a training carrier, AVT-59, replacing Midway, which became a museum ship
2004: United States (CVN-77) replaced Independence (CV-62), which went into reserve.
In order to maintain the existing fleet, a series of overhauls and modernizations were necessary. This was initially called SLEP (Service Life Extension Program); it was later renamed COH (Complex Overhaul.) It aimed to increase the lifespan of a carrier for an expected 30 years to 45-50 years.
Saratoga was the first to go through SLEP, in 1980-83. Second was Forrestal, 1983-85. Ranger's SLEP was cancelled; she received a mini-SLEP in 1984-85, but as a consequence she was the first supercarrier decommissioned. Independence went through SLEP in 1985-88; she was followed by Kitty Hawk in 1988-91 and Constellation in 1990-93. SLEP was then renamed COH; America went through in 1993-95 and was followed by John F. Kennedy in 1995-97.
Programmed replacements at the outbreak of war were CV-64 for CVN-78 in 2008, CV-63 for CVN-79 in 2011, and CV-66 for CVN-80 in 2014. The problems of maintaining the older carriers were severe and it was felt in some quarters that the USN might have to retire some of its carriers early unless CVN production rates could be increased, which was believed to be unlikely.
A notable exception to these maintenance problems was the carrier assigned to the Forward Deployed Naval Force in Japan. Midway had served there until 1992, when she was replaced by Independence; that ship was replaced by Kitty Hawk in 2004.
The training carrier was replaced twice during the 1990s; Midway relieved Lexington in 1992 and was then herself relieved by Forrestal in 2001.
The four Essex class carriers that had survived in reserve were stricken in 1989. Two were scrapped, one became a museum, and one was sunk as an artificial reef.
Coral Sea survived as a parts hulk until 2001. Stricken upon Midway's retirement, she was scrapped.
Saratoga, Ranger, and Independence were all in reserve in 2005, but only Independence, which had only gone into reserve about six months before the outbreak of war, was considered a viable candidate for reactivation. Saratoga and Ranger were in poor condition when decommissioned and by 2005 were little better than parts hulks. It was thought that Independence could be reactivated within six months - possibly sooner if she were reactivated as an AVT, releasing Forrestal for combat duty. However, Forrestal would also require a refit before entering combat. In addition, an air wing might be hard to find.
The CVN force had its own special maintenance problems. RCOH - Refueling and Complex Overhaul - was carried out on the first three CVNs during this period. Enterprise (CVN-65) underwent RCOH in 1990-95; Nimitz (CVN-68) followed in 1998-2001. Dwight D. Eisenhowever (CVN-69) was the third, in 2001-05. Carl Vinson (CVN-70) was scheduled to begin hers in 2005.
Here, however, the Navy - and the nation - caught a break. Eisenhower had been returned to the Navy at the end of March 2005 and was beginning to work up her crew when war came. Carl Vinson, meanwhile, had not yet stood down to begin her refueling, but had tranfered her air wing. Thus the Navy had one more carrier than might have been expected.
"Where are the carriers?" On 21 April 2005, the answer was roughly as follows:
Forrestal (AVT-59) training carrier based at Pensacola
Saratoga (CV-60) in reserve at Bremerton
Ranger (CV-61) in reserve at Bremerton
Independence (CV-62) in reserve at Bremerton
Kitty Hawk (CV-63) 7th Fleet, Japan (temporarily assigned to CENTCOM)
Constellation (CV-64) Pacific Fleet (with 7th Flt after collision damage having been repaired in Japan)
Enterprise (CVN-65) Atlantic Fleet
America (CV-66) Atlantic Fleet
John F. Kennedy (CV-67) Atlantic Fleet (OPCON 6th FLT)
Nimitz (CVN-68) Pacific Fleet
Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Atlantic Fleet
Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Atlantic Fleet
Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Atlantic Fleet
Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) Pacific Fleet
George Washington (CVN-73) Atlantic Fleet
John C. Stennis (CVN-74) Pacific Fleet
Harry S Truman (CVN-75) Atlantic Fleet
Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) Atlantic Fleet (OPCON 6th FLT)
United States (CVN-77) Pacific Fleet
Cruisers and Destroyers 1989-2005
The Reagan administration planned for a force of 238 surface combatants. Of these, 137 were to be battle group escorts (CG/CGN/DDG/DD) and 101 were to be frigates (FF/FFG.) The battle group escorts were broken down as 27 CG-47, six CGN, 63 DDG-51, four DDG-993, and 37 DD-963.
At the end of the thaw these plans were well-laid. Series production of the Ticonderoga class was underway; all 27 programmed ships were completed by 1994, while the first of 63 planned Arleigh Burke class destroyers were under construction. However, the Navy did not quite get there by 2005.
In 1989 the Navy's battle group escort force consisted of 25 older cruisers, 15 CG-47 class ships, 33 older DDG, 4 new DDG, and 31 DD - a total of 108 ships. Of these ships, the older cruisers (except Long Beach) and the newer DDGs were cycling through the New Threat Upgrade program, which was intended to extend their lifespans to a total of 35-40 years. The 23 DDG-2 class ships were scheduled for retirement, and the 10 DDG-37 class ships were considered too old to be worth sending through NTU. It was hoped that the DDG construction program would have replaced all of the older ships by the early 2000s.
In the event, things did not quite work out that way. Series production of the DDG-51 class continued throughout the 1990s and beyond, but by 2004 only 50 units had been completed. By that time almost all of the 1960s-era missile ships were gone - only Belknap (CG-26) and Truxtun (CGN-35) remained. The battle group escort force numbered only 120 - 7 CGN, 28 CG, 54 DDG, and 31 DD - rather than the 137 that had been hoped for.
In addition to NTU, there were three other major upgrade programs. In the first, begun in the 1980s, all 31 Spruance class ships were refitted with VLS. In the second, the first five Ticonderogas were also refitted with VLS and their combat systems brought up to the standards of the later ships. In the third, begun in 2000, the Spruance and Kidd class ships began to undergo refits intended to extend their lifespans to 40 years. This program was known as SLEP II (wags said it meant Spruance Life Extension Program.) The improvements carried out to the first five Ticonderogas also included much of the same kind of work.
On the outbreak of war, the battle group escort force consisted of the following:
Cruisers
Belknap (CG-26)
Truxtun (CGN-35)
California (CGN-36)
South Carolina (CGN-37)
Virginia (CGN-38)
Texas (CGN-39)
Mississippi (CGN-40)
Arkansas (CGN-41)
Ticonderoga (CG-47)
Yorktown (CG-48)
Vincennes (CG-49)
Valley Forge (CG-50)
Thomas S. Gates (CG-51)
Bunker Hill (CG-52)
Mobile Bay (CG-53)
Antietam (CG-54)
Leyte Gulf (CG-55)
San Jacinto (CG-56)
Lake Champlain (CG-57)
Philippine Sea (CG-58)
Princeton (CG-59)
Normandy (CG-60)
Monterey (CG-61)
Chancellorsville (CG-62)
Cowpens (CG-63)
Gettysburg (CG-64)
Chosin (CG-65)
Hue City (CG-66)
Shiloh (CG-67)
Anzio (CG-68)
Vicksburg (CG-69)
Lake Erie (CG-70)
Cape St. George (CG-71)
Vella Gulf (CG-72)
Port Royal (CG-73)
Destroyers (DDG)
Kidd (DDG-993)
Callaghan (DDG-994)
Scott (DDG-995)
Chandler (DDG-996)
Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
Barry (DDG-52)
John Paul Jones (DDG-53)
Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54)
Stout (DDG-55)
John S. McCain (DDG-56)
Mitscher (DDG-57)
Laboon (DDG-58)
Russell (DDG-59)
Paul Hamilton (DDG-60)
Ramage (DDG-61)
Fitzgerald (DDG-62)
Stethem (DDG-63)
Carney (DDG-64)
Benfold (DDG-65)
Gonzalez (DDG-66)
Cole (DDG-67)
The Sullivans (DDG-68)
Milius (DDG-69)
Hopper (DDG-70)
Ross (DDG-71)
Mahan (DDG-72)
Decatur (DDG-73)
McFaul (DDG-74)
Donald Cook (DDG-75)
Higgins (DDG-76)
O'Kane (DDG-77)
Porter (DDG-78)
Oscar Austin (DDG-79)
Roosevelt (DDG-80)
Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81)
Lassen (DDG-82)
Howard (DDG-83)
Bulkeley (DDG-84)
McCampbell (DDG-85)
Shoup (DDG-86)
Mason (DDG-87)
Preble (DDG-88)
Mustin (DDG-89)
Chaffee (DDG-90)
Pinckney (DDG-91)
Momsen (DDG-92)
Chung-Hoon (DDG-93)
Nitze (DDG-94)
James E. Williams (DDG-95)
Bainbridge (DDG-96)
Halsey (DDG-97)
Forrest Sherman (DDG-98)
Farragut (DDG-99)
England (DDG-100)
Destroyers (DD)
Spruance (DD-963)
Paul F. Foster (DD-964)
Kinkaid (DD-965)
Hewitt (DD-966)
Elliott (DD-967)
Arthur W. Radford (DD-968)
Peterson (DD-969)
Caron (DD-970)
David R. Ray (DD-971)
Oldendorf (DD-972)
John Young (DD-973)
Comte de Grasse (DD-974)
O'Brien (DD-975)
Merrill (DD-976)
Briscoe (DD-977)
Stump (DD-978)
Connolly (DD-979)
Moosbrugger (DD-980)
John Hancock (DD-981)
Nicholson (DD-982)
John Rodgers (DD-983)
Leftwich (DD-984)
Cushing (DD-985)
Harry W. Hill (DD-986)
O'Bannon (DD-987)
Thorn (DD-988)
Deyo (DD-989)
Ingersoll (DD-990)
Fife (DD-991)
Fletcher (DD-992)
Hayler (DD-997)
Frigates 1989-2005
The Reagan administration intended to maintain a force of 101 frigates. This goal was actually realized for a time; by 1987 there were 115 frigates on hand. These number soon shrank; the 19 ships of the Bronstein, Garcia, Glover, and Brooke classes were retired in 1988-90 (most being sold overseas), leaving 46 Knox and 51 Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates on hand. These 97 ships formed the entire frigate force during the 1990s.
Some minor upgrades kept the FFG-7 class viable, but there was nothing that could be done for the FF-1052 class. The frigate force contracted rapidly in the late 1990s as the Knoxes reached the end of their lives. By 2004 most were out of commission, some having been sold abroad, and only eight survived with the Naval Reserve Force.
Consequently, the USN embarked on a replacement program. Initially called FFX, it soon fell victim to "feature creep." What emerged was not so much a frigate as a mini-destroyer; ten of these McCloy class Aegis FFGs were in service by 2005. The search for an actual FF was continuing on the outbreak of the war.
The 69 frigates in service in 2005 were the eight FFT, 51 FFG-7, and 10 FFG-62. Some FFG-7 class ships were manned by the NRF.
Amphibious Forces 1989-2005
The Reagan administration planned a massive increase in amphibious lift. In the early 1980s the Navy had shipping for one Marine Amphibious Force; it was intended to add a Marine Amphibious Brigade to this, in addition to replacing existing ships. Plans called for a total of 75 amphibious ships: 13 LPH/LHA/LHD, 13 LPD, 20 LSD, 20 LST, 2 LCC, 5 LKA, and two more undefined - probably older LSDs. At the same time, there was a requirement to keep three Marine Amphibious Units deployed at all times, sometimes with a fourth. This requirement translated approximately to the 13 amphibious assault ships seen in the plan; it is sometimes equated with maintaining an equal number of amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers.
The problem with these plans is that the entire amphibious assault concept was changing. The advent of over-the-horizon assaults meant that some of these types - in particular the LST and LKA - were no longer useful as assault ships. Combined with budgetary challenges, a 75-ship amphibious force was unlikely to be achieved. Nor, in the event, was the one MAF + one MAB goal achieved.
In 1989 the USN achieved its goal of 13 amphibious assault ships with the completion of Wasp (LHD-1). Series production of this class continued through the 1990s until eight had been built, replacing the Iwo Jima class. The replacement schedule was as follows:
1992: Essex (LHD-2) replaced Okinawa (LPH-3), which was sunk as a target
1993: Kearsarge (LHD-3) replaced Iwo Jima (LPH-2), which was scrapped
1995: Boxer (LHD-4) replaced Inchon (LPH-12), which was converted to an MCS
1997: Bataan (LHD-5) replaced Guadalcanal (LPH-7), which was scrapped
1998: Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) replaced Tripoli (LPH-10), which became a test hulk
2000: Iwo Jima (LHD-7) replaced Guam (LPH-9), which was sunk as a target
2001: Makin Island (LHD-8) replaced New Orleans (LPH-11), which survives as a hulk waiting to be scrapped
A new class of amphibious assault ship is intended to begin replacing the Tarawa class LHAs in 2006.
The LPD force suffered during the 1990s. Their intended SLEP was cancelled; the disastrous LPD-17 program meant that the Austin class had to soldier on long after they should have been retired. Not a single LPD-17 was ready for service on the outbreak of war; the two Raleigh class LPDs were retired and scrapped out of sheer decrepitude during the 1990s, leaving the eleven Austins to carry the load during the war.
The LSD force did much better. Eight new Whidbey Island class ships were completed between 1985 and 1992; they were augmented by five older Anchorage class ships and four of the newer Harpers Ferry class. In 2004 three Anchorages remained in service to make up the numbers; there were then a total of 15 LSD.
There were therefore a total of 13 Amphibious Ready Groups in 2004. Each had one LHA or LHD and most had one LPD and one LSD, but two had a pair of LSD and no LPD.
Besides these vessels there were five Charleston class LKAs, eight Newport class LSTs, and one Anchorage class LSD remaining in reserve. Ten Newports and one Anchorage had been sold abroad; one Newport had been wrecked.
The amphibious force in April 2005 consisted of the following:
Tarawa (LHA-1)
Saipan (LHA-2)
Belleau Wood (LHA-3)
Nassau (LHA-4)
Pelelieu (LHA-5)
Wasp (LHD-1)
Essex (LHD-2)
Kearsarge (LHD-3)
Boxer (LHD-4)
Bataan (LHD-5)
Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)
Iwo Jima (LHD-7)
Makin Island (LHD-8)
Austin (LPD-4)
Ogden (LPD-5)
Duluth (LPD-6)
Cleveland (LPD-7)
Dubuque (LPD-8)
Denver (LPD-9)
Juneau (LPD-10)
Shreveport (LPD-12)
Nashville (LPD-13)
Trenton (LPD-14)
Ponce (LPD-15)
Anchorage (LSD-36)
Portland (LSD-37)
Mount Vernon (LSD-39)
Whidbey Island (LSD-41)
Germantown (LSD-42)
Fort McHenry (LSD-43)
Gunston Hall (LSD-44)
Comstock (LSD-45)
Tortuga (LSD-46)
Rushmore (LSD-47)
Ashland (LSD-48)
Harpers Ferry (LSD-49)
Carter Hall (LSD-50)
Oak Hill (LSD-51)
Pearl Harbor (LSD-52)
Reserve
Fort Fisher (LSD-40)
LKA113-117
LST1179, 1182 - 1184, 1187, 1190 - 1191, 1195
Submarine Force 1989-2005
The Reagan era goal was a force of 100 SSN. SSBN numbers were left to treaty; by 2005 they had been reduced to 14. The four oldest were converted to SSGN.
The 100 SSN force was actually achieved, briefly, in the late 1990s. The 62 Los Angeles class boats combined with the 37 Sturgeons and two older special operations boats (converted SSBN) to reach a peak of 101. Thereafter numbers began to plunge rapidly as the Sturgeons reached the end of their lives. By April 2005 only one Sturgeon remained in commission - special operations boat Parche (SSN-683). The two converted SSBN were also gone.
The stupendous price tag attached to the Seawolf class kept those boats from ever achieving their planned numbers. Originally intended to number 29, the class was later cut to 12. These boats were all completed and in service by 2004.
By the mid-1990s it was clear that if the numbers were to be kept up, a cheaper class was needed. The Sturgeons would start retiring soon and they would be followed rapidly by the early 688s. The first of this new SSN-774 class, named North Carolina, was commissioned in 2004. She was the only one of her class in service during the war.
The submarine force on the outbreak of war included 75 attack submarines and consisted of the following:
4 Ohio SSGN: SSGN726-729
14 Ohio SSBN: SSBN730-743
1 Parche SSN: SSN683
62 Los Angeles SSN: SSN688-725, 751-773
12 Seawolf SSN: SSN21-32
Seawolf (SSN-21)
Connecticut (SSN-22)
Skipjack (SSN-23)
Permit (SSN-24)
Gato (SSN-25)
Sturgeon (SSN-26)
Barb (SSN-27)
Greenling (SSN-28)
Guardfish (SSN-29)
Haddock (SSN-30)
Archerfish (SSN-31)
Wahoo (SSN-32)
1 North Carolina SSN: SSN774
The Rest of the Fleet 1989-2005
Fire Support
The fire support problem was partly solved by the modernization of the four Iowa class battleships in the 1980s. All four remained in service at the beginning of the war.
Two of the three Des Moines class heavy cruisers remained in reserve (the third survived as a parts hulk.) Reactivation proposals were unsuccessful.
Command Ships
The Navy possessed five command ships in 1989. One was a fleet flagship modernization of missile cruiser Belknap (CG-26); the other four were dedicated command ships. La Salle (AGF-3) and Coronado (AGF-11) were converted LPD; Blue Ridge (LCC-19) and Mount Whitney (LCC-20) had been built as amphibious command ships.
All of these remained in service on the outbreak of war. It was planned to replace them with modified LPD-17 class ships, but none had been started on the outbreak of war.
Small Combatants
The USN built fourteen Cyclone class coastal patrol ships during the 1990s. By 2005 four of these had been transferred to the Coast Guard. Remaining in naval service were ten ships: PC2-7, 9-12.
Also in service were the six Pegasus class missile hydrofoils, based at Key West.
Minecraft
Reagan era plans called for a force of 31 minecraft. This goal was not realized; in 2005 the Navy had 14 Avenger (MCM-1) and 12 Osprey (MHC-51) class minecraft. The ex-LPH Inchon served as a Mine Countermeasures Command and Support Ship until a 2001 fire that damaged her machinery beyond economic repair.
14 Avenger: MCM1-14
12 Osprey: MHC51-62
Underway Replenishment
Reagan era plans called for 10 UNREP groups. Total strength was to be 69 ships: 15 AOE/AOR, 29 AO, 16 AE, and 9 AFS. These plans did not survive intact.
In 1989 the Navy had 4 AOE and 7 AOR. Another five AOE were projected. All were completed, giving the Navy 16 AOE/AOR at the time of the war.
Sacramento (AOE-1)
Camden (AOE-2)
Seattle (AOE-3)
Detroit (AOE-4)
Supply (AOE-6)
Rainier (AOE-7)
Arctic (AOE-8)
Argonne (AOE-9)
Bridge (AOE-10)
Wichita (AOR-1)
Milwaukee (AOR-2)
Kansas City (AOR-3)
Savannah (AOR-4)
Wabash (AOR-5)
Kalamazoo (AOR-6)
Roanoke (AOR-7)
In 1989 the active AO force numbered 13. There were three ancient Ashtabulas, five jumboized Cimarrons, and the first five of an eventual eighteen Henry J. Kaisers. By 2005 the Ashtabulas were long gone and the AO force numbered 23, the five Cimarrons and eighteen Kaisers.
Cimarron (AO-177)
Monongahela (AO-178)
Merrimack (AO-179)
Willamette (AO-180)
Platte (AO-186)
Henry J. Kaiser (AO-187)
Joshua Humphreys (AO-188)
John Lenthall (AO-189)
Andrew J. Higgins (AO-190)
Benjamin Isherwood (AO-191)
Henry Eckford (AO-192)
Walter S. Diehl (AO-193)
John Ericsson (AO-194)
Kanawha (AO-195)
Pecos (AO-196)
Big Horn (AO-198)
Tippecanoe (AO-199)
Guadalupe (AO-200)
Patuxent (AO-201)
Yukon (AO-202)
Laramie (AO-203)
Rappahannock (AO-204)
In 1989 there were 13 ammunition ships (AE). Five of these had been commissioned in the 1950s, and by 2000 they were gone, leaving only the eight Kilauea class in service: AE26-29, 32-35.
In 1989 there were 10 stores ships (AFS) - seven Mars (AFS-1) class and three ex-RN Sirius (AFS-8) class. All remained active in 2005.
The T-AKE class was planned to replace both the AE and AFS types beginning in 2006.
Many of these ships were manned all or in part by civilian mariners in the employ of the Military Sealift Command.
Tenders
The Reagan administration planned a total of 27 tenders (AD/AS/AR). In 1989 there were 10 destroyer tenders, four of World War II vintage and six newer; there were 11 submarine tenders, two of World War II vintage and nine newer; and there were four repair ships, all of World War II vintage.
The World War II tenders disappeared by the early 1990s. Some of the 1960s era ships were also retired. No new tenders had been built by the time of the war; in 2005 the tender force consisted of six AD and five AS, as follows:
Samuel Gompers (AD-37)
Puget Sound (AD-38)
Yellowstone (AD-41)
Acadia (AD-42)
Cape Cod (AD-43)
Shenandoah (AD-44)
L. Y. Spear (AS-36)
Dixon (AS-27)
Emory S. Land (AS-39)
Frank Cable (AS-40)
McKee (AS-41)
Fleet Support Ships
Plans called for 33 fleet support ships - salvage tugs, fleet tugs, salvage ships, submarine rescue ships, and ocean surveillance ships. By 2005 there were 25, as follows:
3 Edenton class Salvage Tugs: ATS1-3
7 Powhatan class Fleet Tugs: ATF166-172
4 Safeguard class Salvage Ships: ARS50-53
2 Pigeon class Submarine Rescue Ships: ASR21-22
4 Victorious class Ocean Surveillance Ships: AGOS19-22
5 Impeccable class Ocean Surveillance Ships: AGOS23-27
Many of these ships were manned all or in part by civilian mariners in the employ of the Military Sealift Command.
Summary
To recapitulate, in 2005 the USN operated the following 481 ships:
4 CV
11 CVN
1 AVT
7 CGN
28 CG
54 DDG
31 DD
61 FFG
8 FFT
5 LHA
8 LHD
11 LPD
15 LSD
4 SSGN
14 SSBN
76 SSN
4 BB
2 AGF
2 LCC
10 PC
6 PHM
14 MCM
12 MHC
9 AOE
7 AOR
23 AO
8 AE
10 AFS
6 AD
5 AS
3 ATS
7 ATF
4 ARS
2 ASR
9 AGOS
*
Ships under construction, or planned.
Carriers
Lexington Class
Lexington (CVN-78) (2006)
Intrepid (CVN-79) (2008)
Midway (CVN-80) (2010)
Amphibious ships
America Class
America (LHA-6) (To commission FY10)
Tripoli (LHA-7) (To commission FY12)
San Antonio Class
San Antonio (LPD-17)
New Orleans (LPD-18
Mesa Verde (LPD-19)
Green Bay (LPD-20)
New York (LPD-21)
San Diego (LPD-22)
Anchorage (LPD-23)
Arlington (LPD-24)
Somerset (LPD-25)
Not yet awarded (LPD-26)
Not yet awarded (LPD-27)
Not yet awarded (LPD-28)
Command Ships
Modified San Antonio Class
Mount McKinley (LCC-22) (To commission FY07)
(LCC-23) (Name not yet allocated)
CG
CGX Class
(Requirement not fully developed, may be partially filled by Arleigh Burke derivative. Has also been discussion of a possible new CGN to fill this requirement; studies continue).
DDG
Arleigh Burke Class
Flight III
Forrest Sherman (DDG-98 authorized 2000)
Farragut (DDG-99 authorized 2001)
Kidd (DDG-100 authorized 2001)
Gridley (DDG-101 authorized 2001)
Sampson (DDG-102 authorized 2002)
Truxtun (DDG-103 award Sep 2002)
Sterett (DDG-104 award Sep 2002
Dewey (DDG-105 award Sep 2002)
Stockdale (DDG-106 award Sep 2002)
George H.W. Bush (DDG-107 award Sep 2002)
Gerald R. Ford (DDG-108 award Sep 2002)
(DDG-109 award Sep 2002)
(DDG-110 award Sep 2002)
(DDG-111 award Sep 2002)
(DDG-112 award Sep 2002)
DDX
(Requirement not fully developed; may emerge as Flight IV Burke).
FFG
McCloy Class
Vreeland (FFG-72) (Building)
Brewton (FFG-73) (Building)
Trippe (FFG-74) (Building)
Robert E. Peary (FFG-75) (Building)
Connole (FFG-76) (Building)
Jimmy Carter (FFG-77) (Awarded)
Hultgreen (FFG-78) (Awarded)
FFX
With the 'mission creep' of the McCloy class programme the USN is still searching for a true FF design to replace the remaining Knox class and the early FFG-7s. A number of design studies are currently under way and foreign frigate designs are also being looked at.
SSN
North Carolina class
Hawaii (SSN-775) (Building)
Montana (SSN-776) (Building)
New Hampshire (SSN-777) (Awarded)
Kansas (SSN-778) (Awarded, first of Block II boats)
New Mexico (SSN-779) (Awarded)
Minnesota (SSN-780) (Awarded)
Illinois (SSN-781) (Awarded)
Idaho (SSN-782) (Awarded)
Alaska (SSN-783) (Awarded)
SSBN
Ohio class
(SSBN-744)
(SSBN-745)
(SSBN-746)
(SSBN-747)
(SSBN-748)
(SSBN-749)
(Note: six additional Ohio class boats were planned. However after the signing of START III construction was suspended).
Columbus class (formerly SSBN(X))
Planned future replacement for the Ohio class; will share Common Missile Compartment with RN's Dreadnought class, the replacement for the Vanguard class. Programme still at early stage. It is likely that these will be constructed rather than any additional Ohio class boats.
, hangar for 1 (one) helicopter, which would naturally lead to two corvettes forming an ASW "buddy" pair.