U.S. Navy warships have seen fewer days at sea since 2011 because vessels are breaking down more frequently than expected and taking longer to repair, even as the Pentagon struggles to catch up with China’s larger fleet, according to newly disclosed data from congressional analysts.
A review of maintenance, repair and parts replacement for 151 surface warships matched with days underway at sea shows they "faced persistent sustainment challenges that have worsened through 2021,” according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment released Tuesday.
The declining time at sea is a troubling sign, particularly as the U.S. seeks to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region and with a potential conflict this decade over Taiwan. China has the world’s largest navy, according to the Pentagon, while the GAO says the U.S. is getting less use out of many of the ships it has.