What navies still have WWII - era ships?

[adroth]

As they say misery loves company. What navies today still use WWII vintage ships?

The largest non-transport combat ship in the Philippine Navy is the ex-USS Atherton, Cannon class, destroyer escort -- launched in 1943. It had the distinction of sinking a U-boat in WWII. She was transferred to the PN in 1976, and is still in service.

A naval museum has reportedly been "courting" the Philippine Navy to allow them to purchase the ship.

http://www.hueybravo.net/NavyPages/PF11.htm

With the exception of Peacock class OPVs that we got from the British in '97, the bulk of our patrol craft that are above 600 tons in displacement are also 40's vintage PCEs. The same goes for our 6 LSTs.

Anyone else in the . . . pardon the pun . . . same boat?

With the exception of Logistical Support Vessels that we bought in the 90s, all our new stuff (brand new as of the late 80's and onward) are below 300 tons.

 

[Francis]

I heard the United States reserve Fleet still uses World War II era ships. my source was in wikipedia but I am not so sure if the claim is true.

 

[Big-E]

I heard the United States reserve Fleet still uses World War II era ships. my source was in wikipedia but I am not so sure if the claim is true.

It might have been true in 1970...

Mexico by far is the biggest operator of WWII era ships.

 

[swerve]

India - INS Viraat was laid down 21 June 1944 as HMS Elephant. Building suspended at the end of the war, later resumed, eventually commissioned into the RN as HMS Hermes.

 

[orko_8]

Turkish Navy uses two submarine rescue ships and a fleet tug from World War II era:

TCG A-589 Isin (ex USS ABS-25 Safeguard): Launched 20.11.1943
TCG A-585 Akin (ex USS AS-10 Greenlet): Launched 12.07.1942

TCG A-587 Gazal (ex USS ATF-75 Sioux): Launched 27.05.1942

 

[aaaditya]

i believe the uss iowa is still in service with the us reseves.

 

[contedicavour]

With Taiwan and South Korea having renewed their navies, the largest users of WW2 vintage ships are Mexico, Philippines, Jamaica and Dominican Republic, and Paraguay with its river patrol pocket battleships...

cheers

 

[swerve]

I almost forgot: the Royal Navy still has a ship in commission from the 18th century. HMS Victory

 

[Grand Danois]

I almost forgot: the Royal Navy still has a ship in commission from the 18th century. HMS Victory

Deleted a bad joke.

 

[adroth]

It might have been true in 1970...

Mexico by far is the biggest operator of WWII era ships.

Nice pics of these old boats here:

http://www.semar.gob.mx/buques.htm

They do indeed have a lot of old ships. But at least they're still operational. Definitely better off than the PN.

However, I can't help but wonder why a country with oil has such a jurrasic navy.

 

[LancerMc]

I believe Greece is still operating a small amount of amphibous ships from WW2.

 

[Cuddly]

Indonesian navy also still operates several LSTs ex USN WW-II era.

 

[contedicavour]

Vs my list in the previous post I should add Vietnam... although the ships are not operational anymore, there are still alongside a number of ex USCG, ex South Vietnamese Navy high sea cutters such as the Barnegat-class, modified to carry Styx SSMs. Then there are still ex USN and ex South Vietnamese Navy LSTs and patrol crafts.

cheers

 

[Todjaeger]

I almost forgot: the Royal Navy still has a ship in commission from the 18th century. HMS Victory

I thought the HMS Victory had been put into permanent drydock? I know the USS Constitution still goes out to sea (very occasionally).

As for WWII vessels, I believe Taiwan still has a Gato class diesel sub for training purposes. The USN vessels have all been retired, including the battleships. They were actually removed sooner than they were supposed to IIRC, in anticipation of the AGS being available. I believe the USCG also still has a few WWII era vessels, and given the err... deep water Project Deepwater is in with Congress... who knows when they will see replacement.

-Cheers

 

[swerve]

I thought the HMS Victory had been put into permanent drydock? ...

-Cheers

She's set in concrete, IIRC. Looked like it, last time I was down there. I worked in the Portsmouth Navy Base for a while - saw her often. High & dry. But she's still a commissioned warship. You have to be English to understand . . .. Or won a century of naval domination of the world by a victory over larger numbers of bigger & newer ships by sheer skill & effrontery - oh, that's the same thing as being English. :unknown Sorry, I forgot for a moment.

BTW, Victory was built in the 1760s. I think we can forgive her for accepting a shore posting.

 

[Rich]

The Turks still had some Guppy class diesels last time I checked. They are building German subs on contract so these WW-ll era boats may have been retired by now.

 

[swerve]

The Turks still had some Guppy class diesels last time I checked. They are building German subs on contract so these WW-ll era boats may have been retired by now.

The navy still has one Guppy - a museum ship. Well, it'll be a museum when they get the funding. Or it'll be scrapped if the navy gets tired of an obsolete, long-retired rustbucket taking up space & the lobbying of the enthusiasts who're keeping it from rusting away entirely ceases to persuade them it's worth hanging on to. And even that isn't one of the WW2-built Guppy conversions, it's a 1950s-built Tang-class, a Guppy new-build. There's a WW2-built Guppy in a private museum, donated by the navy several years ago. The others have all been scrapped, or sold to musems abroad. At least one returned to the USA to become a museum ship, USS Razorback/TCG Muratreis. I think she lasted past 2000 - just.

Turkey has been building German Type 209 subs since the 1970s, IIRC, & is now moving on to newer designs.

 

[Rich]

Im impressed with Turkeys navy modernization. What are their plans for the next generation frigate? Their frigates must be approaching the 30 year mark.

The navy still has one Guppy - a museum ship. Well, it'll be a museum when they get the funding. Or it'll be scrapped if the navy gets tired of an obsolete, long-retired rustbucket taking up space & the lobbying of the enthusiasts who're keeping it from rusting away entirely ceases to persuade them it's worth hanging on to. And even that isn't one of the WW2-built Guppy conversions, it's a 1950s-built Tang-class, a Guppy new-build. There's a WW2-built Guppy in a private museum, donated by the navy several years ago. The others have all been scrapped, or sold to musems abroad. At least one returned to the USA to become a museum ship, USS Razorback/TCG Muratreis. I think she lasted past 2000 - just.

Turkey has been building German Type 209 subs since the 1970s, IIRC, & is now moving on to newer designs.

 

[Distiller]

I think the Peruvian Navy still operates a hospital ship dating from 1879. On Lake Titicaca.

 

[swerve]

Im impressed with Turkeys navy modernization. What are their plans for the next generation frigate? Their frigates must be approaching the 30 year mark.

Well, here's the official page -

http://www.dzkk.tsk.mil.tr/English/AnaSayfa.asp

TF-2000 is the project, but I don't know what's happening on it.