A response from my congressman. I suspect a lot of people are receiving similar messages. How should we reply? Dear Mr. Wingerter, Thank you for reaching out to me regarding the USS Ranger. As your Representative, I would not be able to fulfill my duties in Washington if I was not aware of the issues that matter to you the most. There is no doubt that Navy aircraft carriers are an important and historic part of our nations military. American air power projected from carriers was the decisive factor in naval engagements from World War II through present day. In fact, they are so critical that in a time of crisis one of the first questions asked by the President is, Where is the nearest aircraft carrier? One of the astounding things about supercarriers, aside from their great size and stature, is their durability. They are designed to serve as long 50 years, but at some point each will stand down. NAVSEA has a protocol with specific milestones to govern the life of a ship from authorization through disposition. After a ship has been assigned to stand down there are a few options she has before disposal. For example, a ship can be leased to a foreign government for a predetermined amount of time while the U.S. Navy maintains the title, loaned to contractors or scientific institutions, or stricken from active status and maintained at various levels of readiness. Once those options are exhausted, there are several ways to dispose of a ship. In 1945, the Navy released a memorandum that defined the term stricken and lists the six conditions under which a ship or aircraft can be stricken in order to reduce confusion of the term and to create a more constructive process for ships after their formal retirement from the Navy. In 1995, the term was updated to define the official action that removes an aircraft from the inventory and commensurate reporting responsibilities, thus creating the opportunity for the ship to be put back into active service at a later date. The 1995 revision gave the Navy more options to dispose of a ship, including to be scrapped, donated, or dedicated a historical memorial. NAVSEA permits an eight year period in which the fate of a vessel is to be determined. Within this period other countries, non-profit organizations, MARAD, and other government agencies submit bids to purchase the ship. If a bidder submits all documents necessary to claim full responsibility for the duration of the ships life and prove the means to meet the Navys strict standards of care and maintenance, the Navy will consider the ships release. When no bid meets the requirements, a ship is then typically scrapped. Due to defense budget cuts in the late 1980s, many ships, including the USS Ranger, did not undergo the Service Life Extension Program. According to NAVSEA, the cost of updating the ship to be completely equipped with modern-day technology and defense systems was more than it would be to scrap the USS Ranger and purchase a new ship with these advances as standard features. In 2004, after 48 years of service, the USS Ranger was officially struck from active service and the disposal process began. A year before the ship was officially removed from active service, the USS Ranger Foundation began their effort to obtain the ship and turn her into a museum and memorial site. The Navy even granted the Foundation a two year donation hold. NAVSEA reviewed the Foundations proposal and responded with concerns that several critical elements had not been addressed in the bid. The Foundations was afforded two more years to address and correct shortfalls in their maintenance plan for the USS Ranger. After submitting the final proposal in 2012, NAVSEA determined that the USS Ranger Foundation was unable to meet the Navys requirements to responsibly receive a donated aircraft carrier. Later that year, it was announced that the USS Ranger would be sold for scrap. Although given every opportunity to be donated as a museum ship, the window to determine the fate of the USS Ranger has closed and she will be scrapped in 2015. I appreciate you reaching out to me and hope that you continue to do so in the future. Sincerely, Richard Nugent Member of Congress
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:02:40 +0000
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