Retired Navy leaders pan proposal for early decommissioning of 6th Fleet flagship
By ALISON BATH
STARS AND STRIPES • March 10, 2023
The Navy’s proposal to dump an amphibious command ship that it needs for keeping Russia in check is risky and ignores lessons from the war in Ukraine, according to analysts and a retired admiral who once led the service in Europe.
USS Mount Whitney, flagship of the Naples, Italy-based U.S. 6th Fleet, is slated for decommissioning in 2026, a move the Navy says in 2023 budget documents could save $179.7 million.
The plan doesn’t detail how the service would replace the ship’s maritime operations center, or MOC, and other capabilities, except to say the ship’s functions would be handled by ashore staff.
The MOC gives the Mount Whitney an incomparable range of applications in naval warfare, said retired Adm. James Foggo, who led U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Forces Command Naples from 2017 to 2020.
https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2023-03-10/navy-mothball-whitney-italy-russia-9447686.html
