Navy retires Boise nuclear sub after decade on sidelines
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The USS Boise, an attack submarine, departs Oman in 2014. Photo: Daniel M. Young/DVIDS
The U.S. Navy is taking out of commission the USS Boise, an attack submarine that has for years sat pier-side and become synonymous with the service's maintenance backlog.
Why it matters: Walking away means saving billions of dollars, Navy Secretary John Phelan told Axios, as well as freeing up precious manpower for shipyards and other boats.
- "It's about discipline. It's about having every dollar delivering capability in a smart, cost-effective manner," he said. "I've got a bunch of people focused on this ship that could be focused on a Virginia-class."
- "The crew will be taken care of," he added. "They will be managed with care and priority and we will get them back to the fleet."
Driving the news: The decision to "inactivate" the Boise was made public Friday. It comes about a decade after the sub's last patrol.
- The verdict follows close consultation with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, who over the summer told the Senate the Boise's circumstances were "unacceptable" and felt like a "dagger in the heart."
- "We have 100% agreement on this," Phelan told Axios. "If the CNO disagreed, I'd tell you he disagreed, and I'd give you the reasons why. In this particular case, he does not."
Follow the money: The Navy previously picked HII and its Newport News Shipbuilding division to help overhaul the nuclear-powered Boise — ultimately leaning on a private yard for what is typically the work of a public yard.
- A spokesperson confirmed the company received notice from the Navy, and said there would be "no impact to our workforce."
- "While our work on USS Boise will end," the spokesperson said, "our commitment to ensuring our nation maintains our undersea maritime supremacy will not."
More from Axios:
U.S. to build "Trump-class" warships for "Golden Fleet"
U.S. Navy secretary's "strategic shift" sinks four frigates
Navy unveils "ShipOS" with Palantir to speed up shipbuilding
