The U.S. Navy is under scrutiny after a report by a government watchdog found that the military branch is spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars repairing warships that are spending less time at sea. According to the Government Accountability Office, from 2011 to 2020, operating and support costs across 10 ship classes studied increased by $2.5 billion, which includes a $1.2 billion bump in maintenance costs.
For the past six years, the USS Vicksburg has been sitting in a Norfolk, Virginia, shipyard as the Navy spent hundreds of millions of dollars to modernize the 567-foot missile cruiser.
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It is unclear whether the USS Vicksburg will ever return to sea, as it is one of 11 vessels the Navy is asking Congress for permission to retire. Each year, the Navy gives a list of ships it hopes to retire to Congress, and this is not the first time the Vicksburg has been on it.
However, Congress does not make it easy for the Navy to get rid of old ships. Repair work means jobs at shipyards in members’ districts, and Congress wants the Navy to keep a high number of ships in its fleet regardless of condition as it races with China for naval superiority in the South Pacific.
The Vicksburg, which first launched in 1991, is more than 30 years old. Despite its bid to retire it, the Navy has already spent at least $175 million and awarded $500 million in contracts in its mission to update the 20th-century missile cruiser.
According to 2022 remarks by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, in order to meet President Biden’s national defense strategy, the Navy needs a fleet of more than 500 ships. As of April 2023, the Navy has 296 ships in its fleet.
Tags: Government Accountability Office, Joe Biden, National Defense Strategy, Navy, Taxes, U.S. Congress, Watchdog
THE U-S NAVY IS UNDER SCRUTINY AFTER A 2023 REPORT BY GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG FOUND THAT THE MILITARY BRANCH IS SPENDING HUNDREDS-OF-MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS REPAIRING WARSHIPS THAT ARE SPENDING LESS TIME AT SEA.
ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT… FROM 2011 TO 2020 OPERATING AND SUPPORT COSTS ACROSS 10 SHIP-CLASSES STUDIED… INCREASED BY 2.5 **BILLION DOLLARS… WHICH INCLUDES A 1.2 **BILLION DOLLAR BUMP IN MAINTENANCE COSTS.
FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS THE USS VICKSBURG HAS BEEN SITTING IN A NORFOLK-VIRGINIA SHIPYARD AS THE NAVY HAS SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MODERNIZE THE 5-HUNDRED AND 67-FOOT MISSILE CRUISER.
NOW IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE USS VICKSBURG WILL EVER RETURN TO SEA… AS IT IS ONE OF ELEVEN VESSELS THE NAVY IS ASKING CONGRESS FOR PERMISSION TO RETIRE..
EACH YEAR THE NAVY GIVES A LIST OF SHIPS IT SEEKS TO RETIRE TO CONGRESS…. AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE VICKSBURG HAS BEEN ON IT…
BUT CONGRESS DOES NOT MAKE IT EASY FOR THE NAVY TO RETIRE OLD SHIPS… REPAIR WORK MEANS JOBS AT SHIPYARDS IN THEIR DISTRICTS AND CONGRESS WANTS THE NAVY TO KEEP A HIGH-NUMBER OF SHIPS IN ITS FLEET REGARDLESS OF CONDITION.. AT LEAST IN PART IN AN EFFORT TO DETER CHINA…
THE VICKSBURG WHICH FIRST LAUNCHED IN 19-91 IS MORE THAN 30-YEARS-OLD… AND DESPITE ITS BID TO RETIRE IT.. THE NAVY HAS ALREADY SPENT AT LEAST 1-HUNDRED AND 75-MILLION DOLLARS AND AWARDED 5-HUNDRED-MILLION DOLLARS IN CONTRACTS IN ITS MISSION TO UPDATE THE 20TH CENTURY MISSILE CRUISER.
AS THE NAVY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE UPDATING SHIPS AND SPENDING MILLIONS TO MODERNIZE ITS FLEET.. CHINA HOPES TO GAIN NAVAL SUPERIORITY IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.. ADMIRAL MICHAEL GILDAY… IN ORDER TO MEET PRESIDENT BIDEN’S NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY THE NAVY NEEDS A FLEET OF MORE THAN 5-HUNDRED SHIPS.
AS OF APRIL 20-23 THE NAVY HAS 2-HUNDRED AND NINETY-SIX SHIPS IN ITS FLEET.
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