USMC Says It Needs Nine More Amphibious Warships To Carry Out Its Missions

Key Points:

• Navy and Marine Corps leaders agree the Marine Corps needs 40 amphibious ships, including 13 amphibious assault "big deck" ships, to maintain three Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) deployed simultaneously, but currently only have 31 ships, the minimum required by Congress.
• The new target marks a shift from the previous Force Design 2030 plan, which emphasized fewer large amphibious ships due to vulnerabilities from modern missile threats, favoring smaller, dispersed forces instead.
• Efforts to secure congressional approval and funding for building new ships and extending the service life of existing vessels are underway, but face challenges amid a tight defense budget environment and shifting political priorities with Democratic control of Congress.
• The Navy's amphibious fleet suffers from low readiness rates (47% combat surge readiness), compounded by maintenance delays, extended deployments, and budget constraints, which degrade operational availability and complicate force generation.
• While a multi-ship procurement contract valued at $9.6 billion is in progress for new San Antonio-class LPDs and America-class LHAs, no timeline has been set for reaching the 40-ship goal, and future progress depends heavily on congressional funding decisions.