The US Navy will start losing its largest surface combatants in 2020

The DDG is a capable platform and as we continue to improve its capabilities with the Flight III and future flights there is not much difference between a DDG and a CG, DDG has survivability features the CG never had. The Tyco CG is nothing more than a Spruance hull with Ageis. With the F-35 coming online coupled with the aviation centric big decks we will need a more flexible force and a departure from the big CSGs concept. As we have seen with every other new weapon system stepping into the abyss of a CG(X) we be a huge loss of money and time only to be abandon in the end like the Zumwalt-class destroyer. Short of a near peer conflict (China, Russia) an America class with 20 F-35B with a four group DDG escort will be able to overcome all threats. If you are that worried about VLS cell numbers deploy a Expeditionary Sea Base (T-ESB) as a missile barge or add an Ohio class SSGN to the group (154 missiles plus a SOC contingent). We will not miss the Tyco. LT Brad McInnis

Does any of these boats (gotcha) ships have major problems that they need to be decommissioned? If it still float, goes through the water under its own steam, still has an awesome firing capability, why decommision it. Run it til it dies.

I got to tour Bunker Hill a couple years ago, she is the oldest of the active CGs and she was in very good material condition.

I also got to tour Paul F. Foster a few years ago, she's 43 years old and while it's true that she's no longer in commission and doesn't get underway much she's also in good shape (especially considering that she has only a small crew of about 30 civilians to maintain her).

Seems like we should be able to keep these ships active another 10-15 years at least until we can get the Flight III Burke's operational.

If you decommission the older CG's you're only going to start wearing out the remaining ships faster. We've already seen the results of this from how our undersized CVN force is being worked to the literal breaking point and having to spend long expensive months in the yards after every single deployment.