Report: Navy ships face growing maintenance delays, costs
WASHINGTON (AP) — Navy ships are getting fewer steaming hours because of growing maintenance delays and costs, a troubling trend that comes as at time when the U.S. is struggling to keep pace with China’s growing fleet.
Operating and support costs grew by about $2.5 billion across 10 ship classes while the number of propulsion hours in which ships were operating or training dipped during a 10-year period that ended in 2021, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.
The Navy saw increased maintenance delays, breakdowns and cannibalization of parts — moving them from one ship to keep another one going — during the period.
The analysis shows “persistent sustainment challenges that have worsened,” compounded by maintenance delays and deferred maintenance noted in previous reports by the GAO, a congressional agency that audits federal programs.
“Over time this situation has resulted in worsening ship conditions and increased costs to repair and sustain ships," the GAO said.
A spokesperson for Naval Surface Forces said the Navy appreciates the GAO’s recommendations for improving maintenance delivery times. The goal is 75 mission capable ships — this figure doesn’t include aircraft carriers, sealift ships or submarines — among the 164 ships assigned to the Surface Force, said Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson.
“This imperative for 75 mission capable ships drives every program and action we take, and across our force, the enterprise is aligned to reach this north star,” Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, commander of Naval Surface Forces, said this month at a Surface Navy Association event.
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship and littoral combat ships experienced the greatest number of severe “casualty reports” that impair a ship’s ability to operate effectively, the GAO...