Key Points and Summary – America’s carrier strike groups are supposed to guarantee global sea control, but the ships at the center of that strategy are increasingly stuck pier-side.
-A massive maintenance backlog, too few dry docks, shortages of skilled workers, and aging infrastructure mean most carrier overhauls run late and over budget.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet, attached to the “Blacklions” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213 and a F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the “Golden Warriors” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 87 fly over the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72), April 11, 2025. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is underway in the Atlantic Ocean completing integrated naval warfighting training. Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) is the Joint Force’s most complex integrated training event and prepares naval task forces for sustained high-end Joint and combined combat. Integrated naval training provides America’s civilian leaders and commanders highly-capable forces that deter adversaries, underpin American security and economic prosperity, and reassure Allies and partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maxwell Orlosky
-Even newer Ford-class carriers are hobbled by immature technologies and shipyard performance problems.
-Deferred repairs on ships like USS Harry S. Truman highlight an industrial base under real strain. Decades of deindustrialization, consolidation, and neglected trades have left U.S. shipyards unable to keep pace—turning carrier maintenance into a strategic vulnerability.
Maintenance, Repair Issues Plague U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers
The Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carriers is the US Navy’s replacement for the Nimitz-class supercarriers. They are expected to last the next 50 years, providing the Navy continues sea dominance around the globe.
The US relies on its carrier strike groups for global power projection. China is also building new carriers to project its seapower.
However, like the Nimitz class, the Ford-class carriers have plenty of issues.
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) (front) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) participate in an integrated phase training event, March 23, 2025. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is underway in the Atlantic Ocean completing integrated naval warfighting training. Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) is the Joint Force’s most complex integrated training event and prepares naval task forces for sustained high-end Joint and combined combat. Integrated naval training provides America’s civilian leaders and commanders highly-capable forces that deter adversaries, underpin American security and economic prosperity, and reassure Allies and partners.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maxwell Orlosky)
Weaknesses in US Navy aircraft carrier maintenance stem from a backlog of repairs, a shortage of dry docks and skilled workers, and a lack of funding, leading to significant delays in maintenance periods and deployments.
This situation is compounded by aging infrastructure, workforce capacity, and performance issues, while newer carriers like the Ford-class also face technical challenges with their electromagnetic systems.
Maintenance Issues, Backlogs, Delays, Drydocks
A significant backlog of repairs is a major issue, with a $1.8 billion maintenance backlog noted in a 2022 GAO report.
Seventy-five percent of planned maintenance periods for aircraft carriers and submarines were completed late between 2015 and 2019, with an average delay of 113 days for carriers, reports the GAO.
The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman conducts high-speed turns during a rudder check. Truman is conducting carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean.
A prime example of the maintenance issues is the recent collision suffered by the USS Harry S. Truman. Eight months after a February collision with a cargo ship in the Mediterranean, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman continues to operate with visible hull damage.
The Navy has deferred complete repairs until the ship’s scheduled mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), expected to begin in 2026. This kind of issue is unacceptable for the Navy’s power projection platforms.
The decision to delay permanent repairs, while logical, also highlights the severe strain on the U.S. naval industrial base, which is struggling with maintenance backlogs and shipyard capacity issues.
US Shipyards Are In Poor Shape
Shortage of dry docks is a significant issue. The Navy faces a shortage of dry docks, which are essential for conducting major repairs, reports Small Wars Journal.
Workforce issues: There are shortages of skilled workers and challenges with shipyard workforce performance and capacity, which can lead to reliance on overtime and delays.
Inadequate funding for repairs is a key issue that hinders fleet maintenance. A significant cause of delays is unplanned work that is discovered only after maintenance planning has been completed.
The Navy is facing significant maintenance backlogs and deferred depot work, and the service is constantly dealing with projects that go over budget. A Government Accounting Office report found that Navy ships leave port lacking 35 percent of the required spare parts.
It shows the uncomfortable truth that US shipyards are in terrible shape. They face a shortage of skilled labor, aging infrastructure, inconsistent government demand, supply chain problems, and a shrinking industrial base.
Other Program And Production Issues
Introducing 23 new technologies at once in the Ford-class carriers increased the risk of delays and cost overruns.
Also, the Newport News shipyard has struggled with a high attrition rate, consistently delaying the delivery of the carriers.
Cost overruns abound. The lead ship, USS Gerald R. Ford, was delivered years behind schedule and significantly over its initial budget.
These factors have affected readiness. The technical and production issues have directly impacted the carrier’s ability to meet its full operational capability and sortie generation goals.
US Deindustrialization Was Another Poor Post-Cold War Decision
The Navy faces serious challenges in ship repair and maintenance and in new shipbuilding, primarily due to the nation’s deindustrialization after the Cold War.
At the end of the Cold War, Secretary of Defense Les Aspin and his deputy, Bill Perry, invited the CEOs of the nation’s largest defense companies to the Pentagon for a meeting in the Secretary’s dining room, now known as the “Last Supper.”
Dr. Stephen Wills wrote recently that “The nation told its young people to stay away from trade education and send everyone to college. These are national, not Navy, problems with which the nation still wrestles.”
In that 1993 meeting, Perry presented the group with the message That Defense budgets would shrink and that the industry would need to consolidate to survive. Industry took that warning to heart, with the number of prime defense contractors shrinking from 51 to 5 by 2003 due to rampant mergers and acquisitions.
The National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) plan to create a more resilient and responsive defense industrial ecosystem by focusing on four priorities: resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence.
Released in January 2024, it was one of the few issues that the previous Trump and Biden administrations mirrored each other. The strategy aims to ensure the U.S. can meet current and future threats by addressing the risks posed by global adversaries and strengthening the capabilities of both domestic and allied industrial bases. Implementation plans are being developed to put the strategy into action.
Dr. Emily Pesicka wrote that, “The Sea Services are at a crossroads. Deferred maintenance is not just a problem to be solved in the abstract—it is an existential threat to America’s ability to project power, maintain global stability, and deter aggression from China and Russia. The warnings are clear, the stakes are high, and the time for action is now.”
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
