According to statistics supplied by the Congressional Research Service, almost 40% of U.S. Navy attack submarines are not operational, putting the U.S. in a precarious situation concerning China. China’s navy outnumbers the United States Navy; thus, it must rely on assault submarines to make up the deficit. “planning, material availability, and shipyard execution” were to blame, according to the Naval Sea Systems Command.
Defense spending in FY 2024 is $842 billion, a rise of $26 billion from FY 2023 and $100 billion from FY 2022.
Close to the conclusion of the fiscal year, it is not unusual for budgets to go short. However, these deficits appear three months before the start of the new fiscal year.
U.S. Air Force bonuses and promotions have been put on hold until the end of the fiscal year owing to “higher-than-expected costs,” the military announced on Monday. An Air Force official estimates that the bans might affect tens of thousands of service personnel.
Reenlistment bonuses and incentive pay for challenging or lengthy missions are among the bonus programs being put on hold by the Air Force. When the new fiscal year starts, bonus payments often pick back up.
Airmen stationed overseas and planning to return to the United States are also affected by the restriction. According to the Air Force, the relocations of these service personnel will be postponed until early next year, some months after they were initially slated to take place.
It is rare for a financial deficit to affect people in the Air Force, as opposed to the more common practice of reducing flying hours.
Concerning the many attack submarines now in drydock, the underlying maintenance concerns are being worked on but are far from resolved.
As part of a new strategy to dissuade China, the Pentagon has ordered an increase in the global exposure of American submarines. When our submarines are out of commission, they can’t serve as a deterrent to China.
Five years into a 20-year plan, the Navy has begun revamping the four shipyards in the United States. There are still no accurate timeframes or cost projections for the service.
