Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Chief of Naval Operations, has announced a thorough investigation into the maintenance and readiness issues of amphibious ships, prompted by the deployment delays of the USS Boxer. Speaking at the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Admiral Franchetti emphasized the lessons learned from the Boxer’s delayed deployment, which took several months longer than anticipated due to maintenance challenges.
To address these concerns, Admiral Franchetti, alongside Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric Smith, has issued a directive for a “deep dive” into the readiness and maintenance procedures of the amphibious fleet. This study aims to identify strategies for preempting ship maintenance issues and ensuring the timely training and certification of both ship crews and embarked Marines.
The initiative comes in the wake of not only the USS Boxer’s delayed deployment but also potential delays facing the amphibious assault ship Wasp, which has recently resumed at-sea operations following an extended maintenance period. The aging fleet and the time-consuming upgrades necessary to accommodate the Joint Strike Fighter are among the factors contributing to these maintenance challenges.
Admiral Franchetti described the study as a proactive measure to “nip this in the bud,” focusing on ensuring that maintenance delays do not hinder the fleet’s ability to respond to contingencies and deploy as scheduled. The results of this study, expected to be reported back next month, will outline specific areas of focus and methodology for the investigation.
Reflecting the Navy’s commitment to its amphibious capabilities, the fiscal 2025 budget request includes significant investments in new amphibious assault ships, amphibious transport docks, and landing ships medium. These investments come amid ongoing discussions between the Navy and Marine Corps regarding the optimal size and composition of the amphibious fleet. While the Navy has expressed concerns over investing in older, less combat-credible ships, the Marine Corps argues for a minimum of 31 ships to meet its global training and presence requirements—a figure enshrined in law by Congress in 2022.
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