The U.S. Navy Has a 'Mini' Aircraft Carrier Problem It Can't Solve

The Problem: The U.S. Navy faces significant challenges as multiple key vessels will be sidelined for extended maintenance. The USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) is undergoing a refueling and complex overhaul, which is expected to last until at least 2026. Additionally, the USS Wasp (LHD-1) and USS Bataan (LHD-5) will undergo modernization, taking them out of service until mid-2026.

It Gets Worse From Here: The USS Boxer (LHD-4), plagued by mechanical issues, also faces prolonged maintenance through October 2026. These delays strain the Navy's capacity to respond to global crises, especially with the loss of USS Bonhomme Richard in 2020 further reducing the fleet.

More U.S. Navy Flattops Will be Sidelined Until 2026

The U.S. Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) is currently undergoing her scheduled refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH), and will likely be out of service for at least another two years. The midlife overhaul could last at least 14 months longer than expected.

The U.S. Navy has increasingly had to juggle its warships to ensure that it can respond to more than a single crisis at a time, and the ongoing threat of escalation in the Middle East has seen the nuclear-powered carriers stretched thin. For several weeks in the summer and early fall, the U.S. Navy saw its presence in the Indo-Pacific diminish considerably. However, even more problematic for the U.S. Navy is the fact that another flattop will also be sidelined throughout all of next year, and even well into 2026.

It was announced on Tuesday that USS Wasp (LHD-1), the lead vessel of the sea service's class of amphibious assault ships, will undergo a maintenance and modernization program. Early next year, the ship will head to the BAE Systems-Norfolk Ship Repair (NSR) in Norfolk, Virginia, where the work will be completed.

USS Wasp was commissioned in September 1989, and this modernization will see it serve for at least another decade or longer.

LHD Fleet Stretched Even Thinner

The temporary loss of USS Wasp comes after the U.S. Navy said earlier this year that it was planning for another Wasp-class LHD, USS Bataan (LHD-5), to undergo similar maintenance at General Dynamics NASSCO–Norfolk. As a result, neither of the warships will be able to deploy next year, and neither will be operational again until mid-2026 at the absolute earliest.

The U.S. Navy had planned for such maintenance periods as it built eight Wasp-class LHDs, but following a catastrophic fire in July 2020, USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was so damaged that the sea service opted to scrap the vessel. That has resulted in fewer vessels than expected, and it could put a strain on operations throughout 2026.

And if that wasn't already enough, earlier this year it was also reported that a third Wasp class flattop could also be sidelined due to mechanical problems.

The Boxer Could be Knocked Out

This past April, USS Boxer (LHD-4) encountered an engineering issue related to its rudder, forcing her return to San Diego for repairs, which was estimated to take two to three weeks but dragged out until July. That incident has disrupted its deployment plans in the Indo-Pacific region and raised concerns about ongoing maintenance and readiness challenges within the Navy.

After LHD-4 returned to service, it was announced it would still need to undergo pierside maintenance that could also last as long as 18 months. According to a U.S. Navy solicitation notice from this past May, the work could begin in April of next year and run through October 2026. At this point, the 843-foot-long warship has spent more time undergoing repairs than actually deployed.

Those described as " mini aircraft carriers," the Wasp class has big problems the U.S. Navy would like to put past it.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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