The Navy Tried To Retire Its Two Huge COVID-19 Fighting Hospital Ships Two Years Ago
Both ships are now in American ports providing critical support in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by treating patients without the virus.
Both ships are now in American ports providing critical support in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by treating patients without the virus.
The U.S. Navy is planning to deploy the USNS Comfort, one of its two hospital ships, to New York City to help support response efforts related to the rapidly expanding COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, despite promises to send it “immediately,” that ship isn’t set to arrive in New York Harbor for weeks, by which time the situation on the ground there may have significantly changed.
The service says a mix of less capable ships that are cheaper to operate might be better for future, distributed operations.
The service is still exploring what the ships can do as it considers retiring at least one of its dedicated hospital ships.
The Navy’s two hospital ships are expensive to operate and maintain, but offer capabilities found in no other Navy in the world.