Painful. To. Read.

Kind of like reading about when the British decom'd their last big deck carrier and its outstanding strike aircraft....right before the Falklands. We may not be as lucky as the Brits.

Two Osprey-class coastal mine hunters were decommissioned June 15 in formal ceremonies at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas.

USS Osprey (MHC 51), the lead ship in the Osprey-class, was decommissioned during a ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. USS Robin (MHC 54), was decommissioned during a ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m.

“This ceremony marks the end of the life of a warship that served its country proudly,” said Cmdr. Keith A. Knutsen, during the Osprey decommissioning ceremony. Knutsen commands both Osprey and Robin.

That isn't the painful part. This is the painful part.

“However, I see this ceremony as something more than marking the end,” Knutsen added. “I see it also as the beginning - the beginning of a new era of mine warfare. Osprey and her sisters’ retirements are making the way for a new class of warship known as the littoral combat ship or LCS.

“LCS will continue where Osprey leaves off by carrying on and refining the Navy’s critical mission of countering mine threats to this nation,” he said.

Brother Keith; oh, my dear Brother Keith. That is the worst spin I have read in so long. You know, that we know, that you know, that we know, that the statement about the LCS Mine Warfare module is years, if ever, ready to hunt and find mines. While we are running these much needed warships off for sale or reserve - or keeping pierside because they cannot pass an INSURV - who is going to sweep the Arabian/Persian Gulf of mines if needed next week? Next month? Next year? Next decade?

Hat tip Eagle1.