{"id":26665,"date":"2021-07-30T19:05:38","date_gmt":"2021-07-30T19:05:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/07\/30\/navy-decommissions-littoral-combat-ship-independence\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:28:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:28:37","slug":"navy-decommissions-littoral-combat-ship-independence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2021\/07\/30\/navy-decommissions-littoral-combat-ship-independence\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy decommissions littoral combat ship Independence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The littoral combat ship<\/a> Independence was decommissioned Thursday in San Diego \u2014 leaving the fleet with 22 littoral combat ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Independence, which was commissioned in 2010, was one of the test and training vessels for the littoral combat ship program, along with the Freedom, Fort Worth and Coronado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then-Rear Adm. Randy Crites, the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget at the time, said in February 2020<\/a> that the early versions of the littoral combat ship<\/a> needed major, expensive upgrades, and it was better for them to be mothballed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, the Navy said in a news release that decommissioning the Independence \u201csupports department-wide business process reform initiatives to free up time, resources, and manpower in support of increased lethality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t