Business & Finance
US Navy submarine backlogs could leave 15 vessels idle and cost $3.1 billion, watchdog says
A Government Accountability Office report warns that shipyard capacity shortages are causing multi-year decommissioning delays for attack submarines.
The short version
- A GAO report indicates 15 US Navy attack submarines could accrue over 14,000 idle days awaiting decommissioning between fiscal years 2026 and 2030.
- The inactive submarine backlog is projected to cost the Navy over $3.1 billion in operating and support costs.
- Shipyard maintenance delays over the past decade have already cost the Navy $3.4 billion and 15,000 lost operational days for active attack submarines.
- The Navy is considering alternatives like pier-side reactor defueling and floating dry docks, but the GAO notes these options lack detailed feasibility analysis.
Key facts
- A Government Accountability Office report projected that 15 attack submarines will spend more than 14,000 days in inactive idle time from FY 2026 through FY 2030 due to limited shipyard capacity.[Business Insider]
- Maintaining and operating inactive submarines during this upcoming idle period is estimated to cost $3.1 billion.[Business Insider]
- Over the past decade, maintenance delays on active attack submarines cost $3.4 billion and led to more than 15,000 lost operational days.[Business Insider]
- The USS Pasadena entered idle status in January 2025 but is not scheduled for decommissioning until November 2028, incurring over $300 million in costs while serving as a stationary training platform.[Business Insider]
- President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Department of Defense and Navy to establish a fifth public shipyard to expand maintenance capacity.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- The GAO reported that the Navy has not provided documentation of detailed analyses regarding the feasibility or cost-effectiveness of alternative mitigation strategies, such as pier-side defueling or using floating dry docks.[Business Insider]
- Proposed submarine service life extensions intended to prevent decommissioning backlogs remain pending approval.[Business Insider]