Navy Readiness: Actions Needed to Address Costly Attack Submarine Maintenance Challenges

A GAO audit finds the U.S. Navy has lost more than 15,000 operational days over the past decade due to maintenance delays and idle time on its attack submarine fleet, at an estimated cost of $3.4 billion for crews and vessels producing zero operational capability. The Navy calls these submarines an “asymmetric advantage” for undetected intelligence gathering and strikes; the audit describes them mostly sitting at the pier.

The problem is compounding: submarines awaiting decommissioning can't get into shipyards with dry-dock capacity to defuel their reactors, and GAO projects 15 more submarines will enter this backlog between 2026 and 2030, racking up over 14,000 idle days and $3.1 billion in additional costs. GAO recommends the Navy evaluate faster decommissioning alternatives and build an actual inactivation plan.

The Navy's response to these two recommendations was to verbally concur. It did not bother submitting anything in writing.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.