Maintenance Woes Worsen at Navy Atlantic Fleet.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Brief Article

When it comes to force structure, the Navy's biggest problem is not how many ships it has, but its ability to maintain the current fleet, said Adm. Robert J. Narter, commander of the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet.

The Navy today has 315 ships. Natter believes the number should be higher. "It should be more than 315 if we are to have the mission we are required to carry out today. My number is roughly 368."

But more important than the number of ships is their "inadequate" maintenance, Natter said. "During the past decade, we have been under-funded in ship and aircraft maintenance." For the past five years, the...