Military
The US Navy's Oldest Warship Still in Service Is Reaching 55 Years Old
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24/7 Wall St. Insights
The United States Navy has around 290 ships in its fleet, including aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, cruisers, amphibious crafts, and littoral combat ships. In addition to this cache of massive equipment, there are approximately 336,978 active-duty personnel enlisted to operate it and 101,583 Ready Reserve individuals. The US Navy is the third largest branch of the military, formed in 1775 by the Continental Congress to curb British Sea Control.
The U.S. 7th Fleet paid a diplomatic mission to the Philippines to affirm the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which requires both nations to support and defend each other from any threats. Leading the 7th Fleet was its flagship and the oldest ship currently in service in the U.S. Navy, the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). The treaty ultimately ensures that each country will aid the other in maintaining security and stability within the region. Also, with such an established treaty, the U.S. Navy sending its longest-serving warship appears to be representative of the long-standing commitment to peace in the region.
The USS Blue Ridge has led a storied career so far in the U.S. Navy. It has played significant roles in numerous military operations and exercises around the world. The USS Blue Ridge typically serves as a command and control ship and supports fleet commanders by coordinating naval forces. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a close look, not just at the Blue Ridge, but at the oldest ships still serving in the U.S. Navy.
To determine America’s oldest warships, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Naval Vessel Register directory of commissioned ships in the U.S. and cross-referenced with data from the World Directory of Modern Military Warships regarding the class or type of each warship. We compiled data on all ships and submarines that have been commissioned in the service of the U.S. Navy for 35 years or more and ranked them by age. While technically Old Iron Sides is still in service, it is no practically speaking an active ship, and is not commissioned.
Knowing the ships and submarines that will enter the U.S. Navy is important for understanding the state of national security in the United States. Also, the Navy is primarily used by the United States to project power across vast distances and maintain a secure balance within the global community.
Here is a look at the oldest ships in the U.S. Navy.
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