GAO Report Finds US Combat Vehicle Readiness Plummets

The Government Accountability Office released a report finding that the United States Army and Marine Corps are struggling to maintain combat vehicle fleets, leaving many units insufficiently ready for war. Analyzing data from 2015 to 2024, the watchdog revealed that 16 of 18 studied vehicle types, including tanks and armored personnel carriers, failed to meet mission-capability goals.

Readiness plummeted despite combined spending exceeding $2.3 billion on high-level maintenance. The report attributes these failures to a shortage of trained mechanics and a reliance on single-source suppliers for spare parts. Per-vehicle maintenance costs for Abrams tanks more than doubled during the review period, yet availability rates remained below targets.

To mitigate the shortages, the Army stripped parts from phased-out vehicles. A senior official admitted the service accepted these risks by reducing funding for extensive depot overhauls.