Nearly 40% of US attack submarines are currently inactive.

Startling data released by the Congressional Research Service reveals that over a third of U.S. submarines are currently out of commission due to ship-building delays. Click here to access the report.

Out of the 49 attack submarines in the U.S. Navy, a staggering 37% (18 submarines) are currently undergoing repairs, a significant increase from just 12 boats a decade ago. The Congressional Research Service attributes this backlog to “insufficient numbers of workers and facility constraints” at Naval shipyards, as well as “supply chain issues.” These delays not only hamper the force’s capacity to meet day-to-day mission demands but also potentially increase operational pressure on active boats.

This statistic highlights the alarming level of unpreparedness of the U.S. Navy in the event of a conflict with China. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, China’s Navy is currently the largest in the world and is projected to expand to 440 “battle force” ships by 2030. In contrast, the United States is expected to have only 290 battle force ships by the same year. Recent Pentagon war games have also revealed that the United States is woefully unprepared for a potential conflict with China.

Gordon Chang, a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute, has expressed concerns about the United States’ readiness to face China. In an interview with Fox Business, Chang emphasized that it’s not just about having a larger Navy than China; it’s also about the types of weapons that China possesses, for which the United States currently lacks defenses.

The Biden administration’s 2024 budget proposal has further raised concerns. It includes significant budget cuts to the Navy and the premature retirement of eight ships and two combat vessels, as The Washington Free Beacon reports. If implemented, this decision would result in the removal of over 600 vertical missile launch systems.

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Navy