New Commands, More Contractors Making Space Tight at Naval Base San Diego

[Tony]

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, Calif. – At one point this summer, four of the Navy’s nine big-deck amphibious assault ships sat at their home berths on San Diego Bay.

USS Boxer (LHD-4), currently deployed in the western Pacific, had returned for emergency rudder repairs done pierside at the base. USS Essex (LHD-2) was going through maintenance and upgrades that stretched over two years, including a 12-month dry-docking selected restricted availability. USS Makin Island (LHD-8) has been going through maintenance and upgrades in a selected restricted availability. USS Tripoli (LHA-7) was cycling back into underway periods after its post-deployment Selected Restricted Availability, which it completed in March five days ahead of schedule at the base’s Pier 13.