Never-ending repairs… ended

We have mentioned in multiple earlier columns how major refits on Navy ships have been running years behind schedule. While COVID no doubt played a role, it seems that simple lack of shipyards and capacity are more to blame. (I suspect changing specs plays a role too, knowing how government works. “What, we are replacing a propeller? Let’s make that sub fly, too.”)

The USS Boise may be he ultimate poster child of the failed process, though.

The U.S. Navy has abandoned plans to return the Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Boise to active duty. This brings an end to the saga of a still-incomplete major overhaul of the boat, which has lasted more than a decade now.

The Navy announced its decision to inactivate Boise, which was first commissioned into service in 1992, earlier today.

So in 34 years, over a third of her lifetime has been in repairs?

Navy Adm. Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, the service’s top officer, said in a statement. “This strategic move allows us to reallocate America’s highly-skilled workforce to our highest priorities: delivering new Virginia and Columbia class submarines and improving the readiness of the current fleet. We owe it to our Sailors and the nation to make these tough calls to build a more capable and ready Navy.”

To date, the Navy has spent approximately $800 million on Boise’s overhaul, which is still only 22 percent complete, the service separately told Semafor. The total estimated cost to complete the overhaul had risen to $3 billion, according to Fox News.

“At some point, you just cut your losses and move on,” Secretary of the Navy John Phelan also told Fox News in an interview ahead of today’s announcement. “The Boise represents 65% of the cost of a new Virginia class submarine, yet it only delivers 20% of the remaining service life.”

(I have to say, if 22% cost $800,000,000, my math says the cost was closer to $4,000,000,000 than three, but I don’t do  government math.)

The Navy had originally planned for Boise to begin its overhaul in 2013, but the timetable was repeatedly delayed, primarily due to a lack of shipyard availability. The submarine has not been to sea since it returned from its last cruise in January 2015. The boat was deemed unable to conduct normal operations by 2016, and it formally lost its dive certification the following year.

The Navy moved Boise from its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, to Newport News Shipbuilding’s facilities in 2018. Newport News Shipbuilding is a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII).

The submarine returned to Norfolk the following year amid competing funding priorities. It went back to Newport News in 2020, but did not actually enter a dry dock there until 2021, after which limited maintenance work began. The full overhaul was then further set back due to budgetary issues, with a formal contract only signed in 2024.

So from 2015 to 24 it just… sat? Here’s an excerpt from the Navy’s announcement.

“We understand the importance of a strong submarine force to our national security. While our work on USS Boise will end, our commitment to ensuring our nation maintains our undersea maritime supremacy will not.”  TWZ

Brave sentiments. Let’s hope we can back them up.

Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Navy