The U.S. Navy Command wants to sell-off Freedom-class littoral combat ships to other countries.

This was stated at a hearing in the U.S. Congress.

The Navy’s state official told Congress that the U.S. government should consider selling ships from its troubled littoral combat fleet they plan to decommission.

The Navy has faced sharp criticism for its latest plan to decommission all of its Freedom-class littoral combat ships.

“We should consider offering these ships to other countries that have the ability to use them effectively,” Adm. Michael Gilday as a response to Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.,regarding the Navy’s plan to decommission nine of the ships at its disposal.

The U.S. Navy believes that there are countries in South America that would be able to use these ships with small crews.

In 2020, it became clear that the already built and designed Freedom-class ships were not suitable for their intended use.

It turned out that the main gearboxes, to which traction power is transmitted from the main power plants and auxiliary power plants of ships, have an insurmountable structural defect – they can not withstand clutch bearings and reducers are destroyed when working with main power plants.

If the main power plants are refused, then instead of the declared 47 knots, the ship on auxiliary power plants can develop a speed of only 12 knots.

“The Navy owes a public apology to American taxpayers for wasting tens of billions of dollars on ships they now say serve no purpose,” Rep. Elaine Luria, Virginia.

Gilday acknowledged the equipment flaws, but said the Navy had other reasons for getting rid of the ships.

“While the mechanical issues were a factor, the major factor was the lack of sufficient warfighting capability against a peer competitor in China,” he explained.