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U.S. Navy submarine maintenance delays cost billions
A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that the U.S. Navy has lost over 15,000 operational days due to maintenance delays and idle time on attack submarines over the last decade. These inefficiencies have cost an estimated $3.4 billion to sustain crews and vessels that lacked operational capability.
Looking ahead, the GAO warns that without mitigation, 15 attack submarines are expected to enter inactive idle time between fiscal years 2026 and 2030. This could result in an additional 14,000 days of inactivity and $3.1 billion in costs. Public naval shipyards have struggled with these timelines, completing depot-level maintenance on schedule only 11% of the time over the past ten years.
To combat industrial bottlenecks and supply chain constraints, the Navy has introduced new technical requirements to scale the use of metallic 3D-printed materials. This initiative, involving additive manufacturing, aims to bypass legacy administrative hurdles and accelerate the production and repair of submarine components.
Entities
Congressional Research Service · Government Accountability Office · Norfolk Naval Shipyard · Portsmouth Naval Shipyard · Robert Gaucher · U.S. Navy · United States · Virginia-class submarine
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Maintenance delays and idle time over the last decade cost an estimated $3.4 billion to sustain crews and submarines without operational capability. avioblog.it · ilmarenelcuore.it · seapowermagazine.org · www.washingtonexaminer.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The actual production rate for Virginia-class submarines has remained around 1.1 to 1.2 vessels per year since 2022. avioblog.it · ilmarenelcuore.it
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Navy could incur more than 14,000 additional days of inactive idle time and $3.1 billion in costs by the end of the decade. avioblog.it · ilmarenelcuore.it · seapowermagazine.org · www.washingtonexaminer.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Between fiscal years 2026 and 2030, 15 attack submarines are expected to enter inactive idle time. avioblog.it · ilmarenelcuore.it · seapowermagazine.org · www.washingtonexaminer.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Public naval shipyards completed depot-level maintenance on attack submarines on schedule only 11% of the time over the last decade. www.washingtonexaminer.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Navy released new technical requirements to scale the use of metallic 3D-printed materials in submarine construction and maintenance. interestingengineering.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Additive manufacturing is being utilized to address supply chain constraints and part obsolescence. interestingengineering.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The U.S. Navy has lost more than 15,000 operational days due to maintenance delays and idle time on attack submarines over the last decade. avioblog.it · ilmarenelcuore.it · seapowermagazine.org · www.washingtonexaminer.com