US Navy attack submarines face significant maintenance delays, costing billions over a decade. A shortage of dry-dock space has led to vessels waiting up to four years for repairs. This issue has eroded the submarine fleet's readiness and reduced operational availability for national security needs. The problem is expected to worsen, impacting key military advantages over China. Progress has been made in reducing idle time, but the backlog persists.

US Navy attack submarines face significant maintenance delays, costing billions over a decade. A shortage of dry-dock space has led to vessels waiting up to four years for…

While the report said the Navy had made progress cutting delays for operational subs, the problem would get worse — and costlier — for those destined for decommissioning.