This question/issue brought into the spotlight again with the
looming early retirement of the USS Harry S. Truman mentioned in another thread:
Stars and Stripes/Military.comQuote:
USS Truman's Early Retirement Could Present Questionable Future for Carriers
26 Mar 2019
Stars and Stripes | By Caitlin Doornbos
The USS Harry S. Truman will retire two decades early if Congress approves the Navy's 2020 proposed budget as-is, a move some say could indicate a questionable future for aircraft carriers.
The Navy's proposed budget -- published this month -- calls for dismantling the Truman in 2024 instead of funding the planned refueling of its nuclear reactor core that year.
Commissioned in 1998, the carrier is 20 years old, making it the fourth-youngest of the Navy's 11 active carriers, according to the service.
Canceling the Truman's refueling would open up funding for other capabilities, Rear Adm. Randy Crites, deputy assistant Secretary of the Navy for management and budget, said during a Pentagon presentation March 12.
In its 30-year shipbuilding plan submitted to Congress this month, the Navy said the change "is in concert with the Defense Department's pursuit of a more lethal balance of high-end, survivable platforms (e.g. CVNs) and complementary capabilities from emerging technologies." CVN is Navy shorthand for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
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