Lawmakers press military leaders on shortfalls in parts, people and maintenance ahead of Indo‑PACOM demands

WASHINGTON — House Armed Services Subcommittee members and senior service leaders on Tuesday focused on near‑term readiness shortfalls that lawmakers say could limit U.S. deterrence in the Indo‑Pacific.

Ranking Member Rep. Garamendi said the services must ensure ‘‘parts, the people, and the equipment’’ are available for systems the United States still relies on today. Witnesses outlined common problems: depot backlogs and maintenance delays, shortages of critical spare parts, and personnel gaps that keep platforms grounded or in reduced status.

Army witness General Mingus told the panel the Army is balancing end strength, readiness and modernization and has made hard tradeoffs; he warned sustainment must be built into modernization contracts. Navy witness Admiral Kilby said the Navy is aiming for 80% combat‑surge readiness by Jan. 1, 2027, but that progress varies by platform and that amphibious ship maintenance ‘‘is not where I want it to be.’’ Lieutenant General Spain for the Air Force said the service is operating ‘‘with the oldest airplanes, the smallest force, and with fewer monthly flying hours than at any point in our history.’’ Space Force leader General Gutlein said his service is ‘‘woefully under‑resourced’’ relative to the missions it supports.

Committee members pressed for specific, near‑term fixes: congressional leaders and witnesses discussed pouring funds into sustainment accounts, faster depot availabilities, earlier ‘‘open and inspect’’ assessments to scope repairs, and investing in supply‑chain automation and predictive maintenance so units do not rely on cannibalization or long procurement waits.

The hearing repeatedly drew attention to a trio of interlocking problems: (1) parts and depot throughput that determine how many platforms are mission capable; (2) recruiting and retention shortfalls that create crew gaps; and (3) the tension between buying new systems and funding long‑term sustainment. ‘‘No matter how much money you will get ... there will never be enough to do everything,’’ Garamendi told witnesses, adding that sustainment must not be sacrificed for ‘‘new and shiny.’’

Less urgent details included service‑specific staffing and capacity numbers provided by witnesses. The Navy reported roughly a 23,000‑sailor gap at sea; the Air Force described plans to divest about 400 aircraft over the next five years as part of a ‘‘divest to invest’’ strategy; the Army briefed plans to modernize and restructure formations under its Army Transformation Initiative. Witnesses and members agreed that predictable funding — avoiding extended continuing resolutions — and earlier depot planning are essential to reach the cited readiness goals.

The subcommittee directed the services to provide follow‑up material on sustainment plans for new platforms, depot scheduling changes, and data on parts and personnel shortfalls. Several members said the committee will convene additional classified hearings to examine surge and sustainment dependencies in greater detail.