USS Bonhomme Richard to be scrapped

On 12 July 2020, a devastating fire broke out on the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6). After an extensive cleanup and reclamation the amphib will be decommissioned in a small ceremony in San Diego (CA) this week before being towed to Texas where it will be scrapped.

The scrap process appeared to be cheaper than a repair. To repair the damaged 22 year old ship will take five to seven years in an estimated USD 2,5 to 3,2 billion budget, and that was calculated as too much.

The BHR was badly damaged when a fire broke out in the ship's lower vehicle-storage area, a part of the ship with an ample supply of fuel and oxygen for a fire. The exact cause is still unknown. The fire raged out of control and continued for four days, with temperatures on board topped 1,200 degrees F at times, making it all but impossible for firefighting crews to access burning spaces to extinguish the fire.

In July 2020, Bonhomme Richard was just nearing the end of a two-year, USD 250 million upgrade to accommodate F-35B operations. It is the largest US naval warship lost since World War II.

Photo: NB San Diego