NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy's annual Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) showed that the fleet's overall material condition declined in fiscal year 2022.
The report called the decline "a slight but steady negative trend" that has occurred since 2017.
Roughly 44% of vessels were overdue for inspection, according to the report, which warned that the Navy does not have enough people to inspect every ship every three years as is required.
Hampton Roads lawmakers are concerned.
"It's very alarming," said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), who serves as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee. "The future challenges in the world will rely heavier and heavier and heavier on the Navy and Marine assets. And so, looking at the degraded quality of some of the ship platforms at a time we need them more and more, the trendlines are going in opposite directions. And that's not positive."
Also unhappy with the report is Rep. Jen Kiggans (R, VA-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
She said: "Our ships are old. We have an aging fleet that we have neglected and put a lot of Band-Aids over the past few decades. And that's catching up to us. Plus, we've deployed those ships. Those ships are working hard as are our sailors. Now, we have work to do."
The debt deal struck between White House officials and House leaders and signed into law last week set out $886 billion in military appropriations next year.
That's a 3% hike over current funding, but it falls short of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' current 4.9% rate of inflation.
A separate report from the Government Accountability Office back in February revealed troubling long-term trends when it comes to repairing ships and keeping them in the fight.
That report showed the amount of money needed to maintain the ships has risen by $2.5 billion, but the ships' operating hours have significantly decreased over the last decade.