The US Army has struggled to maintain its watercraft fleet readiness, with fewer than 40% of vessels capable of performing missions in 2024, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The service, which has a fleet of 70 watercraft for transporting personnel and supplies in deep ocean water, initially aimed for a 90-percent readiness rate amid increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
However, the GAO report pointed out that long-standing maintenance challenges have adversely affected the fleet’s operational readiness.
For instance, one vessel in the fleet has been out of service for over five years. “Army officials reported several factors contributing to significant delays, including maintenance work,” the report noted.
Steadily Declining Readiness
According to the GAO, the watercraft fleet provides critical logistical capabilities to militaries enabling access to waterways in austere environments where ports and roads are unavailable.
Despite this importance, the US Army’s watercraft readiness rate has steadily declined, dropping from 70 percent in 2021 to just over 60 percent in 2022 and nearly 50 percent in 2023.
Low mission-capable rates hinder the fleet’s ability to meet current and near-term mission requirements, the GAO warned.
They also impact the service’s ability to conduct sufficient training for watercraft personnel.
Recommendations
The GAO made several recommendations to the Department of the Army, including developing a mitigation plan to address gaps in the fleet’s capability and capacity.
It also advised assessing the full costs and benefits of potential courses of action to enhance the ability of the service’s watercraft fleet.
Additionally, the GAO urged the implementation of an integrated strategy to effectively identify, analyze, and respond to persistent maintenance challenges affecting the fleet’s readiness.