US Navy: Bonhomme Richard fire deals a blow to the Navy’s designs in the Indo-Pacific

WASHINGTON – The amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard , which burned through the night while in port in San Diego, was at the tail end of two years of upgrades supporting the integration of the F-35B , according to Navy documents. That means the Navy will now have fewer options to deploy the next-generation fighter in the Pacific. The Navy awarded the $219 million modernization contract to General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. in 2018, which had options for up to $250 million. Bonhomme Richard is one of four large-deck amph…