US Navy backlogs could leave over a dozen submarines sitting idle for years, costing $3 billion, watchdog says

Severe backlogs could time off complete a twelve US Navy onslaught submarines awaiting decommissioning sitting idle for much than 14,000 days done the extremity of the decade, and costs the oversea work complete $3 billion, according to a caller watchdog report.

Navy attraction delays person already costs the oversea work billions of dollars and sidelined progressive onslaught submarines for thousands of operational days, affecting fleet readiness.

A caller study from the Government Accountability Office, a legislature watchdog, said: "Over the past 10 years, the US Navy has mislaid much than 15,000 operational days owed to attraction delays and idle clip connected progressive attack submarines. These delays resulted successful an estimated $3.4 cardinal successful costs to prolong crews and submarines that provided nary operational capability."

Idle clip for active submarines refers to the play erstwhile a alloy is nary longer certified to run but has yet to participate maintenance. The Navy whitethorn still extremity up paying retired hundreds of thousands of dollars a time for submarines to beryllium pier-side.

A related backlog for inactive subs is expected to beryllium different important costs burden.

"Without mitigation, 15 onslaught submarines will participate inactive idle clip from fiscal twelvemonth 2026 done fiscal twelvemonth 2030," the caller GAO study said, "during which clip the Navy could incur much than 14,000 days of inactive idle clip and $3.1 cardinal successful costs to run and support these inactive submarines."

The study cited the Los Angeles-class sub USS Pasadena arsenic an example. The vessel, which entered inactive idle position connected January 1, 2025, is not scheduled for decommissioning until November 15, 2028, owed to constricted shipyard capacity.

The Navy told the GAO that it will usage the Pasadena arsenic a training level while it waits for decommissioning; however, the hold will costs the work complete $300 million, the GAO said.

The Navy's nuclear-powered submarines acquisition their astir extended maintenance, repairs, and decommissioning astatine 4 nationalist shipyards, though immoderate depot-level work tin beryllium done astatine 2 backstage yards. The Navy and shipbuilders are pursuing respective efforts to revitalize yards, including expanding capacity and investing successful the workforce and infrastructure.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Navy and the Department of Defense to found a 5th nationalist gait arsenic portion of a larger "plan to summation nuclear-powered submarine and craft bearer readiness."

The Navy told the GAO that it's considering replacement options successful the meantime, including defueling the atomic reactors of onslaught submarines while the vessels are pier-side alternatively than waiting until they scope a shipyard. "However, officials were incapable to supply archiving of elaborate analyses conducted connected the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this option," the GAO added.

The Navy is besides looking into utilizing floating barren docks for defueling, but the GAO said that action besides needs further study. Other projected alternatives see transferring inactive crews to progressive vessels and extending the work lives of submarines to debar decommissioning backlogs, though "these work life extensions are still pending approval," the study said.