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Defense Logistics: Navy Needs to Develop and Implement a Plan to Ensure That Voyage Repairs Are Available to Ships Operating near Guam when Needed

GAO-08-427 Published: May 12, 2008. Publicly Released: May 12, 2008.
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Highlights

Unscheduled ship maintenance, known as voyage repairs, is a high priority for the U.S. Navy. Such repairs are sometimes beyond the capability of the ship's crew to perform; cannot be deferred; and must be made at a remote location. After the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended closing the former Naval Ship Repair Facility, Guam, the Navy leased the property at that facility to the Guam Economic Development and Commerce Authority, which sub-leased the property to a private shipyard. DOD has since begun planning for a military buildup on Guam. In January 2007 the Navy recommended allowing the private shipyard's lease on Navy land to expire in 2012. Consequently, the House Armed Services Committee asked GAO to determine the extent to which the Navy has (1) identified future ship repair requirements at Guam, and (2) identified and assessed options to address those requirements. GAO reviewed documents related to ship maintenance and interviewed officials affiliated with private contractors, the Guam government, the Marine Corps, Military Sealift Command, and the Navy in conducting this review.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense To ensure that adequate voyage repair capabilities are available for ships operating near Guam, and recognizing the lead time required to implement options, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Navy to estimate requirements for repairs for surface vessels operating at or near Guam based on data determined to be most appropriate by the Secretary of the Navy.
Closed – Implemented
Recommendation closed action taken by agency. The Navy has estimated requirements for repairs for surface vessels operating at or near Guam based on data determined to be most appropriate by the Secretary of the Navy as a direct result of GAO work culminating in GAO-08-427 "Defense Logistics: Navy Needs to Develop and Implement a Plan to Ensure That Voyage Repairs Are Available to Ships Operating Near Guam When Needed"
Department of Defense To ensure that adequate voyage repair capabilities are available for ships operating near Guam, and recognizing the lead time required to implement options, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Navy to assess the benefits and limitations of each of the options for providing repairs to ships operating near Guam, and perform an assessment of anticipated costs and risks associated with each option.
Closed – Implemented
Recommendation closed action taken by agency. The Navy has assessed the benefits and limitations of each of the options for providing voyage repairs to ships operating near Guam, and performed an assessment of anticipated costs and risks associated with each option. On April 22nd, 2008 GAO was informed that the Navy had performed an assessment of options for providing voyage repairs to ships operating near Guam earlier in the year, and determined a combination of options identified in GAO's report are the most cost- and time-effective options for providing voyage repairs in Guam until, and beyond 2012.
Department of Defense To ensure that adequate voyage repair capabilities are available for ships operating near Guam, and recognizing the lead time required to implement options, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Navy to select the best option or combination of options for providing repair capabilities to support surface ships operating near Guam, and develop a plan and schedule for implementing a course of action to ensure that the required ship repair capability will be available by October 2012.
Closed – Implemented
Recommendation closed action taken by agency. The Navy has assessed options or combination of options for providing repair capabilities to support surface ships operating near Guam, and developed a plan and schedule for implementing a course of action to ensure that the required ship repair capability will be available by October 2012. On April 22nd, 2008 GAO was informed that the Navy had performed an assessment of options for providing voyage repairs to ships operating near Guam, and determined a combination of options identified in GAO?s report are the most cost- and time-effective options for providing voyage repairs in Guam until, and beyond 2012. The decision to select a combination of options, and the work that was undertaken to arrive at that decision was made as a direct result of working with GAO and reviewing GAO's draft report.

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Topics

Data collectionDefense capabilitiesDefense contingency planningEquipment maintenanceEquipment repairsFacility repairsForce structureLogisticsMilitary forcesMilitary vesselsNaval basesNaval facilitiesNaval operationsNaval procurementPerformance appraisalRepairsRequirements definitionRisk assessmentRisk managementShipsShipyardsStrategic planning