‘Extraordinarily expensive’ outcome for USN as USS Bonhomme Richard to be decommissioned
The USN has declared a second major naval platform loss due to fire damage in less than a decade, after the decision was taken to decommission the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard
Naval shipyards are busy, complex environments to work in, both for service personnel as well the thousands of civilians that work to sustain surface and subsurface platforms and keep them ready for deployment. Navies of every description have on occasion suffered due to industrial incidents or accidents that have had a subsequent impact on fleet capabilities.
Little did naval observers realise at the time, but the 12 July fire that broke out on board the USN’s amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard would at a stroke remove one-eighth of the fleet’s Wasp-class vessels and leave a gaping hole in
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Euronaval 2026: Red Cat’s Blue Ops follows USV demand from Asia to the Andes]()
Euronaval 2026: Red Cat’s Blue Ops follows USV demand from Asia to the Andes
With its B-26 USV in full-rate production, Blue Ops is seeking to turn overseas interest into orders through a combination of lower operating costs, UAV integration and local manufacturing.
-
![Euronaval 2026: ‘I want to sell 31 Type 31s by 2031’ - CGO maps Babcock’s global push]()
Euronaval 2026: ‘I want to sell 31 Type 31s by 2031’ - CGO maps Babcock’s global push
Chief growth officer Sir Nick Hine tells Shephard how Babcock is lining up New Zealand, Chile, Denmark and the US for its Arrowhead 140 frigate, speaks on the hybrid navy offer and talks AUKUS.
-
![Euronaval 2026: Baltic breakthrough powers Saildrone’s next European expansion]()
Euronaval 2026: Baltic breakthrough powers Saildrone’s next European expansion
Denmark’s doubled deployment, Mediterranean smuggling routes and Norwegian composite hulls show where uncrewed surveillance demand is heading, while British funding remains unclear.
-
![Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift]()
Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift
The 50m, six-person ship from the Italian shipbuilder carries swappable, containerised payloads instead of a fixed mission, reflecting a shift that is becoming increasingly evident.
-
![Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties]()
Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties
HMCS Victoria and HMCS Windsor could return from their current deep maintenance, but unconfirmed operational timelines leave questions over patrol capacity before the first CPSP arrives.
