The U.S. Navy has incurred $3.4 billion in costs over the past decade due to delays in submarine maintenance, driven by insufficient dry dock capacity, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Thursday.
The delays have resulted in the loss of more than 15,000 operational days for the Navy’s attack submarine fleet, which consists of 44 vessels across the Los Angeles and Virginia classes. The GAO noted that maintenance backlogs have extended repair timelines by up to four years, with crews often stranded near dry docks awaiting availability.
Looking ahead, the GAO estimates that the Navy will face an additional $3.1 billion in costs and the loss of over 14,000 operational days between fiscal years 2026 and 2030. Fifteen submarines are expected to enter inactive periods during this timeframe, exacerbating the strain on the fleet’s operational readiness.
The GAO issued two recommendations to address the issue: evaluating alternative decommissioning options, such as defueling submarines outside of dry docks and reducing crew requirements for vessels awaiting retirement, and developing a plan to minimize downtime. The Navy has verbally agreed with the recommendations but has not provided written comments in response to the report.
