{"id":50929,"date":"2025-10-08T16:06:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2025\/10\/08\/navy-cannibalizing-materiel-for-spare-parts-watchdog-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:12:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:12:34","slug":"navy-cannibalizing-materiel-for-spare-parts-watchdog-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/2025\/10\/08\/navy-cannibalizing-materiel-for-spare-parts-watchdog-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy cannibalizing materiel for spare parts, watchdog says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The U.S. Navy is scavenging for spare parts from grounded materiel in order to address maintenance needs, a new government watchdog report found<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem arises from gaps in the Defense Department\u2019s data rights for weapon systems that force Navy maintainers to rely on vendors for parts, which in turn can balloon maintenance timelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the event of these repair delays, the service maintains operational readiness by repurposing parts from its own aircraft and submarines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DOD doesn\u2019t obtain the data rights and intellectual property (IP) from contractors and manufacturers it needs to adequately sustain the weapons systems those contractors produce, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department also fails to adequately manage the IP it does obtain, which includes engineering drawings and technical manuals, further inhibiting proper repairs, the report said. Program personnel did not complete comprehensive reviews of the data that they received in conjunction with the weapon systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report singled out five major weapon systems with data right issues, including the F\/A-18 fighter aircraft, F-35 fighter aircraft, Littoral Combat Ship, Stryker Combat Vehicle and Virginia-class Submarine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each program lacked the proper data rights to perform depot-level sustainment \u2014 maintenance that typically requires uniquely experienced personnel, according to the report. Programs also faced vendor lock, in which the lack of proper data or the rights to access the proper data forced them to rely on the contractor for help with weapon system sustainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the programs have figured out ways to accomplish their goals in the face of maintenance delays, a lack of spare parts, and ballooning costs for sustainment upkeep.<\/p>\n\n\n\t