{"id":45512,"date":"2022-10-21T17:46:34","date_gmt":"2022-10-21T17:46:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/10\/21\/lcs-jackson-wraps-up-first-deployment-with-decommissioning-on-horizon\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:55:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:55:40","slug":"lcs-jackson-wraps-up-first-deployment-with-decommissioning-on-horizon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2022\/10\/21\/lcs-jackson-wraps-up-first-deployment-with-decommissioning-on-horizon\/","title":{"rendered":"LCS Jackson wraps up first deployment, with decommissioning on horizon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The littoral combat ship Jackson wrapped up its initial deployment \u2014 to U.S. 7th Fleet \u2014 this month, carrying out manned-unmanned operations with the MQ-8C Fire Scout<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But after returning to its homeport in San Diego Oct. 15, the Jackson\u2019s days may be numbered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Navy leaders plan to have more littoral combat ships operating in the Pacific over the next several years, the service\u2019s 30-year shipbuilding plan calls for decommissioning the Jackson in 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meanwhile, service officials have identified a new role for the ship \u2014 which was commissioned just seven years ago, in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of great work that we will use Jackson to do as we support rotational deployers as they are going out the door, whether it be through exercises or other events,\u201d Capt. Marc Crawford, commodore of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, told reporters Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy\u2019s budget request proposes reducing the ship\u2019s manning from dual, Blue-Gold crews to a single crew in 2023. But Crawford said his team is awaiting final passage of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act to implement the reduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are making plans for them to go from a Blue-Gold to a single crew,\u201d Crawford said. \u201cHowever, as we\u2019ve seen in the past, sometimes we change direction and we pivot in these negotiations. And so we\u2019re not taking any actual steps to reduce, but the plans are codified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t