Overview

• USS Iwo Jima, USS Fort Lauderdale and USS San Antonio sailed from Naval Station Norfolk on August 14 with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, restoring a continuous East Coast ARG/MEU presence.
• A December GAO report found amphibious ship readiness at 46 percent, below the 50 percent benchmark, and attributed shortfalls to poor material condition and delayed maintenance.
• Acting CNO Adm. Jim Kilby told Congress he needs 46 amphibious warships—15 more than statutory guidance—to meet combatant commander demands and pledged to improve maintenance execution.
• The Navy’s maintenance pilot mandates finalizing overhaul work packages 500 days before signature availability and issuing contracts one year out to give shipyards more planning time.
• Workforce challenges at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding have pushed delivery of the America-class assault ships LHA-8 and LHA-9 back by about one year, constraining near-term fleet growth.