The Boxer is 2024 Navy's Canary

ignore the excuses - see the waterfront

The US Navy does not have all that many large deck amphibs like USS Boxer (LHD 4).

Slightly larger than a WWII Essex Class CV, she’s one of eight Wasp Class LHD of which we only have seven left after the burning of USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). With the 2+3 America Class LHA, they are an invaluable high-demand/low-density asset demonstrating global national resolve afloat.

What has the 29-year old BOXER been up to? Well, earlier this month;

The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer is underway for a long-delayed deployment after a maintenance and overhaul period of almost four years.

The ship has been conducting work-ups for the last several months with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The Boxer last deployed in 2019.

The Navy struggled to get the ship back to sea after a $200 million planned overhaul and maintenance availability in 2020.

Wait … less than a couple of weeks later - what do we see?

The trouble-plagued USS Boxer has returned to San Diego after experiencing a new equipment problem during its first deployment in five years,

Well … guess what?

15th MEU Delayed Further by Lack of Dry Docks To Repair USS Boxer

At a time when we don’t have enough amphibious ships - of all types but especially the large-decks - we have another datapoint that our repair and maintenance isn’t just almost criminally insufficient for peace - it is on its face laughably short of any requirement to keep the US Navy in the fight for a Pacific War that goes past D+90.

BAE in San Diego only has two drydocks, Pride of California Drydock with a 55,000 ton lift and Pride of San Diego Drydock with a 26,000 ton lift.

It isn’t enough. There are other facilities in San Diego … but they don’t fill the gap either.

If you want to see the decades of neglect that is our naval infrastructure, even in our most important locations, let’s talk about Dry Dock #1 at Naval Base San Diego.

If you recall that Arleigh Burke Hull-1, DDG-51 is 33-years - this paragraph should jerk your chain;

In 1942, during World War II, Dry Dock No. 1 was built at Naval Base San Diego with a configuration to meet the requirements of the naval feet at that time. In the 80 years since, the U.S. Navy has gone through many feet upgrades, while Dry Dock No. 1 has remained largely the same.

Recognizing the limitations to dry dock operations posed by its configuration, the Navy identified several upgrades to modernize the dock to meet current and future demands and prolong its service life, making it among the first dry docks to be modified since the World War II-era. The newly modernized Dry Dock No. 1 is the first of its kind on the Pacific coast and the Navy’s second largest surface ship dry dock overall, spanning 4.8-acres

Yes, 82-years old.

In 2016, the USS Howard was docked at Naval Base San Diego requiring emergency repairs to its shaft and supporting equipment. Although Dry Dock No. 1 was available, the berth could not accommodate a DDG-51 class vessel because of its sonar dome. This identified an urgent need to provide space for these vessel types.

A joint venture, GHD-COWI JV, worked under contract with the Navy to identify modifications to the dry dock that would allow it to accept DDG-51 class vessels that are equipped with a sonar dome under its keel. The modifications would require repairing a portion of the dry dock floor (and avoid retrofitting the entire dry dock). Other repairs were identified as well, including replacing the dewatering pumps that were beyond their operation life. The contracting team worked closely with the Navy to develop outside-the-box engineering solutions to overcome challenges that could be replicated for other facilities going forward.

25-years, a quarter century, until Big Navy realized that it might have a need in THE PACIFIC CENTURY to have their dry docks handle DDG-51 class vessels.

Quod erat demonstrandum.

Where has leadership been? Where has Congress been? Where have our institutions been?

Supremacy at sea is not an entitlement. It is not a law of nature. It is taken, maintained, and defended.

We are surrendering it.