U.S. Navy Maintenance and Modernization Suffer Due to Budget Woes

By Edward H. Lundquist - July 1, 2013

Petty Officer 2nd Class Alan Smith observes as Seaman Richard Ulmer sprays water onto a fin stabilizer of the guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) during an operational test of the stabilizer as the guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), left, and Crommelin rest on blocks in Dry Dock 4 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii. The dual docking of the ships on Oct. 15, 2008 saved the Navy approximately $100,000 versus docking them separately and enabled repairs to Crommelin that otherwise would have had to be deferred until mid-2009. With sequestration in effect, the U.S. Navy will continue to have to find creative ways to maintain the fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Marshall Fukuki

Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 8, Mabus said the pressure of the Continuing Resolution (CR) has already significantly affected procurement and reduced the resources available to maintain readiness. “If the CR continues for the entire year, we will be forced to reduce aircraft flight hours and ship steaming days, cancel up to 29 of 85 surface ship availabilities, defer maintenance on as many as 70 aircraft and 290 engines and defer up to 140 maintenance and construction projects across the country.”

Hull Maintenance Technician Fireman Apprentice Dominick Ferro, from Detroit, practices his welding skills aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), Sept. 19, 2012. Ronald Reagan is homeported in Bremerton, Wash., while undergoing a maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jacob Estes

“In addition, lack of legislative action will prevent the construction of two Arleigh Burke destroyers, one Virginia-class submarine and one Mobile Landing Platform; prevent procurement of two nuclear reactor cores, and delay increased funding for the Ohio-class replacement; reduce Marine Corps procurement by up to one-third after the Marine Corps rebalances its manpower accounts; create a $4.6 billion shortfall in operation and maintenance account; and create a nearly $600 million shortfall in combined Navy and Marine Corps manpower accounts,” he said. “These measures not only place additional stress on the force and on our families, they will weaken the industrial base and affect over 10,000 private sector jobs. The disruption to our fleet in shore maintenance and modernization schedules may take years to recover from and will come at a much greater cost.”

The service has set a goal of 313-ship Navy since 2006, but that has been a stretch goal, dependent on both new construction and modernization of existing combatants to bring them to their full expected service life.

According to a report by Ron O’Rourke with the Congressional Research Service, projected force levels resulting from the Navy’s FY2013 30-Year (FY2013-FY2042) Shipbuilding Plan will at best achieve a total of 307 by FY 2039.

No easy choices

Although the 2013 budget appears to have cleared the hurdle, the Navy is still under significant budgetary pressure. According to a March 2013 Congressional Budget Office report, “Approaches for Scaling Back the Defense Department’s Budget Plans, DoD, “faces an 11 percent reduction (after adjusting for inflation) in its (2013) base budget from the amount it received in 2012.”

The CBO report says “DoD will have to cut back on its forces and activities more each year to remain within the budget caps.”

That means more tough decisions. “To reduce costs, policymakers could reduce the number of military units or funding to equip and operate those units or both,” the CBO report says.