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| India-Pakistan | |
| U.S. Navy Decoms USS Trenton, Transfers to Indian Navy | |
| 2007-01-20 | |
| NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The amphibious transport dock ship USS Trenton (LPD 14), was decommissioned Jan. 17 in a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk. Immediately following the decommissioning, Trenton was recommissioned and transferred to the Indian Navy, bearing the name INS Jalashwa. The event marks the first time a U.S. Navy vessel has been transferred to the Indian navy. In recent months, the crew of Trenton has been working alongside Indian sailors, training them to operate the ship efficiently and safely. “Trenton will continue to serve all the free nations of the world, just as she served the United States, as we expand ‘the 1,000-ship navy,’” said Rear Adm. Garry Hall, Commander, Amphibious Group 2. The commanding officer of Jalashwa, Indian Navy Capt. B.S. Ahluwalia, expressed his gratitude to the crew of Trenton, and praised their professionalism. “Today’s transfer is a significant event in the growing relationship between our two countries and our two navies,” said Ahluwalia. Commissioned in March 1971, Trenton took part in numerous humanitarian operations, including the evacuations of American civilians from Liberia in 1996 and from Lebanon in 2006. In addition, in 1991, Trenton was responsible for evacuating the U.S. and Soviet ambassadors and 193 foreign nationals from Somalia. During Trenton’s final deployment, the ship took part in maritime security operations off the Somali coast of eastern Africa. Trenton’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Samuel Norton, spoke proudly and fondly of his crew and time aboard the ship, saying that without such an outstanding crew, Trenton would not have been the same. “It’s people that have made Trenton what she is today, and its people that will keep the memory of Trenton alive,” Norton said. Trenton employed a crew of approximately 415 Sailors and could embark nearly 1,000 Marines. The ship was a member of the Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship. The ship is 570 feet in length and displaces approximately 17,000 tons when fully loaded. The Austin-class currently is being replaced by the newer, more-modern San Antonio-class LPD.
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| Posted by:john |
| #7 Not any more. Seen the replacement cost for a CVN lately? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-01-20 17:59 |
| #6 Buying used ships makes sense. They probably depreciate a thousand bucks or so the moment they slide off the ways. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2007-01-20 17:44 |
| #5 LOL Chuck.....makes sense. They can be an ally, especially against our "ally" Pakland |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-01-20 17:25 |
| #4 The Indians are of the firm belief that the term "Indian Ocean" means what it says. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2007-01-20 17:04 |
| #3 Considering all the problems that the Indians have had with aircraft production, it seems more probable that over the next 10-15 years, the US will be decommissioning this class of ship and it will be immediately recommissioned into the Indian Navy. The Austin and follow-on classes are very complicated ships to build, and if you do it wrong, you get a ship like the De Gaulle - where the propeller keeps falling off. Besides which, the Indians have several advantages with the buy it used approach - for the last year of US operations, the Indians can have a secondary crew assigned, learning the ship and its problems; immediately after the ship is transfered, they can have SLEP done to it to correct all known issues; the ships in question have already had their shakedown cruises and had all the issues discovered then fixed; and no nasty surprises like failed welds or non-functional electronics, which Indian tank and aircraft production have been prone to. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-01-20 15:58 |
| #2 Though the Trenton is old, and has had a fair number of problems, the IN was eager to get their hands on her. They want to study the design and actually learn how to operate a LPD for a few years before building their own. |
| Posted by: john 2007-01-20 11:23 |
| #1 India is earning its place as a major world power with the three ingredients: a strong economy, a strong military, and a willingness to project that military, not just for their own ends, but for international goals as well. The last goal is not as meeching as it sounds. By force projecting when you don't have to, or when it is not in your vital interest to do so, you both create useful alliances and open the door to trade. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-01-20 11:18 |