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Despite funding and progress, US Navy maintenance woes continue, GAO notes

By Michael Fabey |

BAE Systems Ship Repair is making improvements to its yard in Jacksonville, Florida, to diversify. (BAE Systems)

The US Navy (USN) continues to face surface-ship maintenance hurdles despite spending tens of billions of dollars for such work through the initial years of the decade, according to a recent report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).

“The navy requested about USD24.9 billion to maintain combat surface fleet ships from fiscal years (FYs) 2020 through 2023,” the GAO said in its report Navy Surface Ships: Maintenance Funds and Actions Needed to Address Ongoing Challenges, released on 31 January.

“Approximately USD25.9 billion was enacted – about USD1 billion more than requested,” the GAO said, adding, “The Navy obligated USD25.8 billion – or 99.7% of the about USD25.9 billion – and as of the end of fiscal year 2023, had expended about USD20 billion in obligations.”

The GAO report comes after Janes was told by private ship repair companies and representatives that those companies are struggling because their yards are operating at half capacity or less.

The GAO report also comes just weeks after USN officials detailed changes in the service's maintenance practices to get more ships ready for deployment more quickly during the Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium 2025 that took place from 14 to 16 January.

Shipyards like those operated by BAE Systems Ship Repair are running at about half capacity – making it nearly impossible to sustain a necessary workforce, infrastructure, and related resources, especially to meet any kind of surge requirements, as has been the case in the Red Sea region, Paul Smith, vice-president and general manager of BAE Systems Ship Repair, told Janes during an 8 May 2024 interview.

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