The USS Normandy, a guided-missile cruiser, has completed its historic port visit to Helsinki, marking the first time a U.S. Navy ship has docked in Finland since the country joined NATO in April 2023.
The visit, which took place on September 23, 2024, is due to the growing military ties between the U.S. and Finland within the NATO alliance.
During its brief stay, the crew of USS Normandy engaged with key representatives of the Finnish Navy, including Capt. Patrik Lillqvist and the 7th Surface Warfare Squadron of Finland’s Coastal Fleet.
The visit provided opportunities for binational cooperation, with Finnish Defense Forces officials touring the U.S. warship and strengthening ties between the two nations, according to a press release.
Reflecting on the significance of the visit, Capt. Nathan P. Diaz, commanding officer of USS Normandy, said, “We couldn’t be more excited to be the first U.S. Navy warship to pull into Finland since they joined NATO. The United States has had a long-lasting relationship with Finland and we look forward to a sustained future together as a NATO Ally.”
After departing Helsinki, the USS Normandy continued its patrol in the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet area of operations. This area covers a wide region, including Europe and Africa, where U.S. naval forces work closely with NATO allies to ensure regional stability and security.
I wonder how many years of service she has left?
Baltic States need a combined T31 Squadron paid for by the EU with combined manpower, training and procurement streams.
Polish, Swedish, German and Danish forces buying in, would give you an homogenous fleet to counter Russian forces.
Supposed to be for the chop next year. 😒
Ticonderoga cruisers were very powerful for their day, USN is now rapidly retiring them and replacing them with large destroyers of almost equal tonnage.
These ships are 30 – 45 years old now I imagine they are now past their best and not economically worth the effort in maintenance.
They were designed for 35 years before life extension, so probably not as much of an issue as what the navy are doing now with the type 23s who were designed for 18 years and who are still in active 34 years after launch. Infact a lot of the ticos have gone and are going a couple of years before their designed lives.
The 18 years is to do with how the T23 hulls were programmed to be maintained in the manual.
As they were maintained to an 18 years span in the early years the extension has been…harder than it could have been!
and also the early flight1 AB destroyers must be on their last legs. Gunbuster posted some insights on these a couple of months ago (he works on their maintenance).
Only 3 Atlantic Ticos left. Two due to go in 2025 and the final one in 2026. All the Pacific ones are due to go before end of 2027. The upcoming Truman CSG has a good chance of being the final Atlantic CSG to include a Tico.
Paid for by tbe EU, forget T31 then, the EU will probably insist on a French build.
No, they might insist on a Polish build 😉
Now there’s a powerful warship 😏
Tico’s were powerful; doubt they will last much longer; or rather, they SHOULDN’T last much longer.
Down to B3 Burkes and outmatched by the Chinese in building completion rates. Warmish coming and we need to step up.
To be honest..most were and are being retired a few years before the design life..( considering the RN are running ships that have reached almost double their designed life)….the USN had started putting the ticos in the reserve fleet, that would have been worthwhile considering the anaemic US shipbuilding capacity, but like every other slack decision in the west the US has now essentially stricken its entire reserve fleet..which is majorly short sighted considering the losses it may take in a U.S. China war and its inability to rebuild from losses quickly.
I think their structural issues negated that, Jonathan.
Sadly the USN has no longer keep up its reserve fleets ( where all the ticos have been going) and pretty much everything apart from a couple of specialist ships have been stricken from the reserve. It is a shame, but that’s the modern world.
Good. Hopefully this alliance will be for the good of peace in Europe & last. Finland has beaten Russia before.