Navy amphibious dock landing ship Ashland shifts homeport to San Diego

The 610-foot Ashland faces possible decommissioning within the next year or two. 

(Jeremy Graham/U.S. Navy)

The 610-foot vessel faces an uncertain future as the Navy decides whether to decommission a ship that’s been in service more than 30 years.

BY GARY ROBBINS

APRIL 21, 2023 10:02 AM PT

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The amphibious dock landing ship Ashland arrived Thursday in San Diego, which will be its new homeport after nearly a decade of being forward deployed in Sasebo, Japan, the Navy said.

The 610-foot ship, which is capable of carrying more than 500 Marines, faces an uncertain future. The Navy proposed last year that the Ashland be decommissioned this spring, after more than 30 years of service.

But the Senate Armed Services Committee opposed the move, and the Biden administration decided not to fund Ashland’s decommissioning in the fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2024.

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Military analysts say the Navy is pushing to decommission Ashland and several other older dock landing ships because it would be very expensive to repair and upgrade the vessels, and it needs to spend money elsewhere. The ships are frequently used to transport and support Marines.

For the time being, Ashland, which was commissioned in 1992, will operate out of Naval Base San Diego. The ship typically has 22 officers and 391 enlisted sailors.