Navy League 2025: Submarine maintenance continues to outpace capacity
USS Virginia is pictured here as it gets ready to begin a maintenance availability in Maine in 2021. US Navy officials said the number of boats needing maintenance exceeds the capacity to do the work. (US Navy)
US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and US Navy (USN) Naval Submarine Forces are collaborating on finding ways to get submarines out of maintenance shipyards more quickly, Vice Admiral Rob Gaucher, commander, Naval Submarine Forces, said during a panel on readiness on 7 April during the Navy League Sea-Air-Space 2025 annual conference and exposition.
“Jim [Vice Admiral James Downey, NAVSEA commander] and I are joined at the hip to get after what is really my pacing problem, which is getting the submarines out of the shipyard,” Vice Adm Gaucher said.
“The capacity in our public shipyards right now is 10 fast-attack submarines (SSNs),” Vice Adm Gaucher said. “We have 17 fast-attack submarines in the public shipyards.”
The USN is now trying to make sure its submarines, aircraft carriers, and other platforms reach a combat surge-ready mark of 80% of the fleets of those vessels.
“Crushing that delta down to 10 is really what's going to let me drive my combat surge ready to 80%,” Vice Adm Gaucher said. “That's the big problem we're working on.”
For more information about USN maintenance issues, please see CBO cites importance of maintenance in meeting US Navy fleet requirements .
Go beyond the headlines - with direct links to interconnected entities
Get full access to validated equipment, military capabilities, and market insights.
