The USS Tortuga might be better known if she had not spent the last decade undergoing maintenance—a far longer span of time than her initial construction! 

The USS Tortuga (LSD-46) isn’t as high-profile a warship as the US Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarriers, and it isn’t as well-armed as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers. However, the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship was designed to transport and launch landing craft, vehicles, and Marines in expeditionary operations. Such a warship could prove vital in a conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

The problem for the Navy is that LSD-46 has been undergoing a nearly decade-long refit, keeping the ship out of service for even longer than it originally took to build her.

Last Friday, the US Navy shared an image of USS Tortuga departing from Naval Station Norfolk to begin sea trials.

“It was the first time the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship has gotten underway since 2014,” the Navy said. “Tortuga is in the final stages of a year-long modernization project contracted by BAE Systems, managed by Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center. The sea trials will test the ship’s enhancements, upgrades, and vital engineering and combat systems as the crew certifies the ship ready for operations.”

It is unclear how long the sea trials—which will evaluate the propulsion, navigation, communication, and combat systems—will take. Still, final certification of LSD-46 depends on the successful completion of the tests.

About the USS Tortuga Dock Landing Ship

• Year Commissioned: 1990
• Length: 610 ft (186 m)
• Beam: 84 ft (25.6 m)
• Draft: 21 ft (6.4 m)
• Displacement (Full Load): ~15,939 – 16,839 tons
• Propulsion: Four Colt Industries 16-cylinder diesel engines, 2 shafts (33,000 shp)
• Speed: 20+ knots (23 mph, 37 km/h)
• Armament:
  • One MK 31 Mod 0 RAM Launchers
  • Two MK 15 MOD 2 Close-in-Weapons Systems (CIWS)
  • Two MK 38 MOD 2 25mm Machine Gun Systems
  • Six .50 Cal machine guns
  • Well Deck: Four LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushioned) or 21 LCM-6 landing craft
  • Flight Deck: 2 helicopter pads
• Crew: ~400+ (approx. 20 officers, 25 CPO, 302 enlisted), plus passengers

LSD-46 is the sixth Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship. The vessel was laid down in March 1987 at Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, and, due to the threat of Hurricane Gilbert, she was launched earlier than expected in September 1988. The ship suffered no reported damage in that storm and was commissioned in November 1990.

Why Is the Tortuga’s Refit Taking So Long?

Many jokes have been made about the Russian Navy’s efforts to modernize its warships—notably its “flagship” aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, which the Kremlin reportedly gave up on in July 2025. Still, the fact remains that the US Navy has also faced numerous hurdles in keeping its fleet’s maintenance on schedule.

The refit of the nuclear-powered Nimitz-class supercarrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) was delayed for years during its midlife refueling, resulting in horrible conditions for the sailors. At issue is the lack of facilities to service and maintain the fleet, as well as the US Navy’s continuing shift in priorities.

BAE Systems was awarded a $139.8 million contract back in 2017 for just 16 months of the “restorative work,” which was completed at the company’s shipyard in Norfolk. The extended modernization was driven by unexpected repair needs, which created significant integration challenges.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) warned in a late 2019 report that the initial timeline was already insufficient, due to labor and material shortages and planning inefficiencies. The matter was made worse by the global COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 and the supply chain challenges that followed.

However, the US Navy never gave up on the ship.

“[LSD-46’s] return comes as the Navy continues to manage an aging amphibious fleet. Many vessels are staying in service longer than originally planned, making modernization programs increasingly important,” Interesting Engineering wrote.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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