Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§8690 Limitation on Length of Overseas Forward Deployment of Naval Vessels

Title 10 › Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps › PART IV — GENERAL ADMINISTRATION › CHAPTER 863 — NAVAL VESSELS › § 8690

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Navy must not keep certain ships deployed overseas for more than ten years. After that time, those ships must be given a U.S. homeport. This rule applies to six kinds of ships: aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and Littoral Combat Ships. The Secretary of the Navy can allow a longer overseas stay only by sending written notice to the congressional defense committees that says they are approving the waiver, when the extended deployment will end, and the reasons why the extra time helps national defense or the public interest.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §8690

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Limitation.—
The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that no naval vessel specified in subsection (b) that is listed in the Naval Vessel Register is forward deployed overseas for a period in excess of ten years. At the end of a period of overseas forward deployment, the vessel shall be assigned a homeport in the United States.
(b)Vessels Specified.—
A naval vessel specified in this subsection is any of the following:
(1)Aircraft carrier.
(2)Amphibious ship.
(3)Cruiser.
(4)Destroyer.
(5)Frigate.
(6)Littoral Combat Ship.
(c)Waiver.—
The Secretary of the Navy may waive the limitation under subsection (a) with respect to a naval vessel if the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees notice in writing of— (1)
(2)the date on which the period of overseas forward deployment of the vessel is expected to end; and
(3)the factors used by the Secretary to determine that a longer period of deployment would promote the national defense or be in the public interest.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 8690, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 538, exempted enlisted members of Air Force, while on active duty, from arrest for any debt, unless it was contracted before enlistment and amounted to at least $20 when first contracted, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 90–235, § 7(b)(1), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 763.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232, § 807(d)(2), renumbered section 7320 of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by section 807(d)(2) of Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title. Treatment of Currently Deployed Vessels; Extension of Limitation for U.S.S. Shiloh Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title III, § 323(b), (c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1720, as amended by Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title III, § 353(2), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1321; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title III, § 344, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3538, provided that: “(b) Treatment of Currently Deployed Vessels.—In the case of any aircraft carrier, amphibious ship, cruiser, destroyer, frigate, or littoral combat ship that has been forward deployed overseas for a period in excess of ten years as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 13, 2018], the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that such vessel is assigned a homeport in the United States by not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act. “(c) Extension of Limitation on Length of Overseas Forward Deployment for U.S.S. Shiloh (CG–67).—Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the U.S.S. Shiloh (CG–67) is assigned a homeport in the United States by not later than September 30, 2023.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 8690

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110