600-ship Navy

The recommissioning ceremony for USS New Jersey; President Ronald Reagan attended and gave the ship's orders

The 600-Ship Navy was a strategic plan of the United States Navy during the 1980s to rebuild its fleet after cutbacks that followed the end of the Vietnam War. The plan, which originated with Republican leaders, was an important campaign plank of Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election, who advocated a larger military and strategic confrontation with the Soviet Union.

The actual number of ships peaked at 594 in 1987, before declining sharply after the end of the Cold War in 1989-1991.^[1]

The program included:

Recommissioning the Iowa-class battleships
Keeping older ships in service longer
A large new construction program
Stepped up production of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers

The idea was supported by John F. Lehman, who became Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, and Caspar Weinberger, Reagan's Secretary of Defense.

Background

The idea behind the 600-ship Navy can be traced back to the Vietnam War. During the war, the armed services rapidly expanded to meet the demands placed on them.

The Soviet Union, which had been supporting North Vietnam, began staging their naval vessels from former US ports in South Vietnam. Building on this gain, Soviet vessels began to sail in all seven seas with increased vigor and even ventured into the Gulf of Mexico.^[2] Soviet forces also stepped up infantry, armor and air force deployments in Eastern Europe.

Reagan plan

It was against this backdrop in 1980 that the United States began an election year. Ronald Reagan continued this in 1984, releasing a campaign commercial, A bear in the woods, which played on the use of the bear as a national symbol of Russia.

The overseas strategic retaliation arm was strengthened and the development of new weaponry like the B-1B bomber, the Bradley fighting vehicle, and the Abrams tank was completed and they were put into production.

Lehman attempted to "front-load" the program, by committing the Navy to the building program, but in the end the funds were not available and it fell short.^[3]

Ships and weapons systems deployed during the plan era

The Navy saw the largest benefit of the rebuilding. Under the Reagan Administration, the first of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines was completed. This class was the largest submarine ever built in the US. The ship carried 24 Trident I nuclear-capable missiles, each one with a 4,000-mile (6,400 km) range. Construction of the Nimitz class of supercarriers and Los Angeles-class attack submarines was dramatically stepped up. The revolutionary new Aegis combat system was installed on the up-and-coming Ticonderoga-class ships, production of which was also stepped up. Several aircraft carriers were put through Service Life Extension Programs (SLEPs) aimed at keeping them in service longer. The Iowa-class battleships, built in the 1940s, were all recommissioned and refitted with RGM-84 Harpoon, BGM-109 Tomahawk, and Phalanx CIWS system capabilities, plus their armor plating would be more resilient against anti-ship missiles. The first Harpoons, Tomahawks, and AGM-88 HARM missiles all debuted on the navy's ships. Naval aviation was stepped up with the introduction of the F/A-18 Hornet, along with improved versions of the EA-6 Prowler electronic countermeasure aircraft, the A-6 Intruder, and the F-14 Tomcat. In addition, the nation's strategic retaliatory arm was strengthened with advanced B-1B bombers and deploying Pershing II theater missiles to Europe. The initiative also included deployment of sophisticated Abrams main battle tanks and Bradley armored fighting vehicles.

Build-up by year

Aircraft carriers

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier		2	2	3	3	3	3	4	4	4	5	5
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Forrestal-class aircraft carrier		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Midway-class aircraft carrier		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Essex-class aircraft carrier		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	14	14	15	15	15	15	16	16	16	17	17

Battleships

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Iowa-class battleship		0	0	0	1	2	2	3	3	3	4	4
Total	Ships	0	0	0	1	2	2	3	3	3	4	4

Cruisers

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Ticonderoga-class cruiser		0	0	0	1	2	3	5	9	11	15	16
Virginia-class cruiser		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
California-class cruiser		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
USS Truxtun (CGN-35)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Belknap-class cruiser		9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
Leahy-class cruiser		9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
Long Beach-class cruiser		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	26	26	26	27	28	29	31	35	37	41	42

Destroyers

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Kidd-class destroyer		0	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Spruance-class destroyer		30	30	30	31	31	31	31	31	31	31	31
Charles F. Adams-class destroyer		23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	20	10
Farragut-class destroyer (1958)		10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	8	7
Forrest Sherman-class destroyer		18	18	7	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0
Gearing-class destroyer		14	7	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	Ships	95	91	76	69	69	69	69	69	68	63	52

Frigates

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate		8	17	26	37	45	50	52	54	54	55	55
Knox-class frigate		46	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	46
Brooke-class frigate		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	1	0	0
Garcia-class frigate		11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	5	1	0
Bronstein-class frigate		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Total	Ships	73	82	91	102	110	115	117	119	108	104	103

Years	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Total Major Combatants Active	208	213	208	214	224	230	236	242	232	229	218

Amphibious assault ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Wasp-class amphibious assault ship		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship		5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship		7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7
Total	Ships	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13

Dock landing ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship		0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	3	4	5
Anchorage-class dock landing ship		5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Thomaston-class dock landing ship		8	8	8	6	4	3	3	3	3	1	0
Casa Grande-class dock landing ship		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0
Total	Ships	14	14	14	12	10	10	11	12	12	10	10

Amphibious transport dock

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Austin-class amphibious transport dock		12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12
Raleigh-class amphibious transport dock		3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Total	Ships	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15

Amphibious cargo ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Charleston-class amphibious cargo ship		5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
USS Tulare (AKA-112)		1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Total	Ships	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	5

Tank landing ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Newport-class tank landing ship		20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20
General Frank S. Besson-class		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	4	4
Total	Ships	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	22	24	24	24

Years	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Total Amphibious Active	67	67	67	65	63	63	63	66	68	67	67

Command Ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Blue Ridge Class		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Total	Ships	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2

Hospital ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Mercy-class hospital ship		0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	2	2	2
Total	Ships	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	2	2	2

Minesweeper

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3	3
Aggressive-class minesweeper		19	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	18	14
Total	Ships	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	20	20	21	17

Patrol ships

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Pegasus-class hydrofoil		1	1	2	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Asheville-class		9	9	9	9	6	6	6	4	4	4	4
Total	Ships	10	10	11	15	12	12	12	10	10	10	10

Replenishment oiler

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Henry J. Kaiser-class oiler		0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	6	8	9
Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler		0	3	4	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Wichita-class replenishment oiler		7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7
Total	Ships	7	10	11	12	12	12	13	16	18	20	21

Tanker

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
USNS Lawrence H. Gianella (T-AOT-1125)		0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1
SS Class		1	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	3	3
Total	Ships	1	2	2	2	2	2	3	4	4	4	4

Ammunition ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Kilauea-class ammunition ship		8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8
Nitro-class ammunition ship		3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Total	Ships	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11

Combat stores ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Mars-class combat stores ship		7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7
Sirius class combat stores ship		0	2	2	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Total	Ships	7	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10

Fast combat support ships

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Sacramento-class fast combat support ship		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Total	Ships	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

Roll-on/roll-off

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Algol-class vehicle cargo ship		7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7
Total	Ships	7	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10

Destroyer tender

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Yellowstone-class destroyer tender		1	2	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Samuel Gompers-class destroyer tender		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Shenandoah-class destroyer tender		1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	Ships	4	5	5	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6

Submarine tender

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Emory S. Land-class submarine tender		2	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
USS L. Y. Spear (AS-36)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

Crane Ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Keystone State-class crane ship		0	0	0	0	2	2	3	5	5	7	7
Gopher State-class crane ship		1	1	1	1	2	2	3	3	3	3	3
Total	Ships	1	1	1	1	4	4	6	8	8	10	10

Heavy-lift ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
American Cormorant		0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1

Cable ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
USNS Zeus (T-ARC-7)		0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

Rescue and salvage ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Safeguard Class		0	0	0	1	1	2	4	4	4	4	4
Pigeon Class		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Bolster-class		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Total	Ships	8	8	8	9	9	10	12	12	12	12	12

Tracking ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
USS Range Sentinel (AGM-22)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3

Ocean surveillance ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ship		0	0	0	0	3	7	9	11	13	17	18
Total	Ships	0	0	0	0	3	7	9	11	13	17	18

Oceanographic research ship

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
USNS Hayes (T-AGOR-16)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Total	Ships	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

Years	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Total Auxiliary Active	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Years	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Total Surface Active	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Attack Submarines

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Los Angeles-class submarine		10	16	20	25	29	33	35	37	39	42	44
Sturgeon-class submarine		37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Permit-class submarine		13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	12	10	8
Skipjack-class submarine		5	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	3	3	0
Barbel-class submarine		3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	1	0
Skate-class submarine		4	4	4	4	3	3	2	2	1	0	0
USS Seawolf (SSN-575)		1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
USS Darter (SS-576)		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0
Tang-class submarine		3	3	3	2	2	2	1	0	0	0	0
Total	Subs	77	83	87	91	94	98	96	97	95	94	89

Ballistic missile submarines

Class of Ships	Image	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Ohio-class submarine		0	1	2	3	5	6	8	8	9	10	11
Benjamin Franklin-class submarine		12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12
James Madison-class submarine		10	10	10	10	10	10	9	9	9	8	8
Lafayette-class submarine		9	9	9	9	9	9	8	8	8	6	3
Ethan Allen-class submarine		5	5	5	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2
George Washington-class submarine		5	4	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	Subs	41	41	41	39	40	39	39	39	40	38	36

Years	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Total Submarines Active	118	124	128	130	134	137	135	136	135	132	125

End of the plan

Eventually political pressure to reduce the national budget deficit resulted in Congress reversing itself and passing a series of declining defense budgets beginning in 1986. Weinberger clashed with Congress over the cuts, resigning in late 1987, and was succeeded by Frank Carlucci.^[4] Lehman's successor as Navy Secretary, Jim Webb, remained a fierce proponent of the expanded fleet, and disagreed with Carlucci over how to cut the Navy budget in line with other services. Webb resigned rather than endorse Carlucci's cut of 16 frigates.^[5] As revealed in The Reagan Diaries, Reagan reflected about Webb's resignation on 22 February 1988: "Present Sec. Webb resigned over budget cuts. I don't think Navy was sorry to see him go."

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and the lack of a perceived threat against the United States, several of the Reagan Administration's policies and plans, such as the "600-ship Navy", were scaled back or abandoned. US bases across Europe and North America were slowly decommissioned and closed, others were mothballed through the Base Realignment and Closure process. In the Navy, this resulted in the retirement of several older carriers, the decommissioning of all four of the Iowa-class battleships and the cancellation of the remaining Seawolf-class submarines.

References

Holland, W. J. (2000). The Navy. Naval Historical Foundation. ISBN 0-7607-6218-X.

↑ "US Ship Force Levels 1886-present". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
↑ "Soviet Naval Vessels Found in Gulf of Mexico". The New York Times. Associated Press. 5 October 1981. Retrieved 2006-08-31.
↑ Spinney, Chuck (6 December 2012). "Business As Usual Inside Obama's Pentagon". Time. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
↑ Church, George J. (20 June 1988). "Bringing The Pentagon to Heel". Time. Retrieved 2007-03-20. (subscription required)
↑ "The Navy: The Secretary Jumps Ship". Time. 7 March 1988. Retrieved 2007-03-20. (subscription required)

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