Is the Navy getting the best bang for the buck in ship maintenance?

Navy Maintenance Spending Under Scrutiny

NORFOLK, Va. — A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report raises concerns about the Navy’s maintenance practices for combat surface ships. The Navy allocates approximately $6.5 billion annually for this purpose. However, the report indicates that the Navy struggles to achieve effective results with this funding. Diana Maurer, a GAO director, noted that many ships are not fully maintained, leading to potential issues in military readiness.

Challenges in Maintenance and Readiness

The GAO’s investigation was prompted by Congress, which sought to understand the Navy’s maintenance expenditures on its fleet of around 150 combat surface ships, including cruisers, destroyers, and amphibious assault ships. The report highlights significant challenges, particularly crew shortages. Maurer stated, “Roughly speaking, we found for every six sailors the Navy says it needs to be aboard ships, it only has assigned five.” This shortfall complicates maintenance efforts and affects the overall readiness of the fleet.

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The shipbuilding and repair industry is crucial, especially in the Hampton Roads area. In December, Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Representative Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) met with industry representatives to discuss how Congress can enhance support for shipbuilding efforts. Kiggans emphasized the urgency of addressing the aging fleet and the need for reliable funding to maintain the workforce in the ship repair industry.

Maurer also pointed out that deferred maintenance can lead to more significant problems down the line. “When the Navy does not abide by that plan, when they defer maintenance, it means that things that should have been fixed are more likely to break later on down the road,” she explained. The report includes 46 recommendations to improve maintenance practices, including reviewing crew sizes and reporting on the impacts of deferred maintenance. Currently, the Navy is making progress on 12 of these recommendations, which could enhance both maintenance and morale among sailors.

 

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