Navy, Marines Seek 40 Amphibious Ships to Maintain Continuous Deployments

The Marine Corps has revealed its intention to increase the number of amphibious ships in its fleet from the current 31 to a total of 40. This strategic shift aims to ensure that three Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs) with embarked Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) are always deployed, a goal long sought by military planners. The plan includes expanding the fleet to consist of 13 large-deck amphibious assault ships and 27 smaller dock landing ships, compared to today's nine large-deck ships and 22 smaller ones.

The rationale behind this expansion is rooted in the Navy’s ongoing struggle with ship readiness rates. Currently, only a small fraction of U.S. warships meet the service's goal of being ready for deployment 80 percent of the time. Amphibious ships are particularly affected, often spending more time out of service than operational due to maintenance needs and delays.

Shon Brodie, deputy director of Maritime Expeditionary Warfare at the Marine Corps, explained that increasing the fleet size is necessary because it’s challenging to maintain readiness levels while simultaneously building new ships and extending the service life of existing ones. He noted that the vice chief of naval operations and the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps have devised a plan to boost the amphibious ship inventory by approximately 25 percent, which would help bridge the gap until maintenance issues are resolved.

The Navy and Marine Corps will soon meet with lawmakers to discuss funding for this ambitious project. However, experts like Bryan Clark from the Hudson Institute caution that such an expansion might be unrealistic due to the significant financial burden associated with operating and maintaining a larger fleet of amphibious ships. Clark also highlighted that as maintenance costs rise, the Navy often defers necessary repairs, leading to a decline in ship condition over time.

A recent study by the Hudson Institute suggests that while 35 amphibious ships might be more feasible than 40, these vessels would still face vulnerabilities from near-peer adversaries and may not provide sufficient self-contained capabilities during combat operations. Clark emphasized the need for larger surface combatants to focus on defensive measures once conflicts begin, necessitating their protection of aircraft carriers capable of conducting offensive operations.

Despite these challenges, the Navy remains committed to improving its maintenance practices. Brodie indicated that recent efforts have marginally improved ship readiness and there is optimism about achieving better results in future maintenance cycles. However, external factors such as extended deployment periods for ARGs can exacerbate wear-and-tear on ships, complicating maintenance schedules.

The ultimate aim of this strategic shift is to maintain a continuous presence with three ARG/MEU formations, each comprising over 2,000 Marines and their aircraft and weapons. Commandant General Eric Smith has argued that such a deployment pattern is essential for national security, providing combatant commanders with scalable options to respond swiftly to crises or conflicts.

This initiative underscores the evolving strategic priorities of the U.S. military in an increasingly complex global environment, where maintaining robust maritime capabilities is crucial for both deterrence and rapid response operations.