The same military force that built a temporary pier in Gaza suffers from frequent breakdowns and aging equipment, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.
The entire Army watercraft fleet is older than its expected lifespan. Boats designed to last 25 years are all over 30 years old.
A Logistics Support Vessel based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis was sidelined for four years and didn't return to the fleet until May, because of a maintenance backlog. Another Logistics Support Vessel assigned to the base has been under repair for five years, according to the report.
The issues stem from the Army’s decision to begin deactivating its watercraft fleet in 2019. The Army sold 64 boats and deactivated its reserve fleet. The total fleet is now 70 boats world-wide.
Congress revived the program in the following budget, but readiness has declined steadily since 2020, according to the report.
The Army created its fleet during World War II to ferry personnel and equipment during battles in the Pacific. At one time, the Army boasted having more vessels than the Navy.
Around 40%of the current fleet is mission capable, but the goal is 90%. At the same time, the number of missions has steadily climbed in recent years, including conducting logistics exercises around the world.
The remaining boats are positioned in Hawaii, Japan and Virginia, where the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary is stationed at Fort Eustis.
Earlier in the year, the unit provided most of the equipment and manpower for the mission to provide humanitarian aid to people facing starvation in Gaza. The project ended abruptly in July, after bad weather repeatedly sidelined the operation.
The report did not look specifically at issues with the pier-building system used in Gaza, known as Joint Logistics Over the Shore.
In its response to the report, the Army said it is working on a long-term strategy, including how to fund a next generation of watercraft to replace its aging fleet.
“The Army is prioritizing improvements in readiness of the existing fleet, while simultaneously making investments in a modernized fleet to meet the needs of the 2040 Force,” Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said in the Army’s written response.
The Army recently reactivated a unit in the Pacific along with five boats from its stock of deactivated vessels, she said.
