The readiness of Navy amphibious ships, which are critical for Marine missions, has fallen to concerning levels.

A defense official said that the availability rate has dipped to 41 percent, even as thousands of Marines and sailors are deploying to Latin America and the Caribbean to support the Trump administration’s growing effort to counter drug cartels.

This shortage of amphibious warfare ships, often called amphibs, has already caused disruptions. Earlier this year, the gap between Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments stretched beyond five months.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit had wrapped up its last patrol aboard the America Amphibious Ready Group in early March, leaving a prolonged absence before the 22nd MEU finally deployed aboard the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group last Thursday.

Here's What They're Not Telling You About Your Retirement

The deployment has not been without complications. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said that the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group was sailing off the Carolinas to avoid Hurricane Erin.

The storm delayed the group’s planned entrance into Caribbean waters. Forecasters have predicted that Erin will remain a large and dangerous hurricane through at least midweek.

The declining readiness underscores the Navy’s struggle to address deep maintenance problems that have plagued the fleet for more than a decade. These problems arrive at a time when the Trump administration is eager to expand the range of military tools available to advance its Make America Great Again agenda.

President Trump has repeatedly emphasized his commitment to strengthening the armed forces while also tackling immigration challenges and blocking the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

On Thursday, more than 4,500 sailors and Marines set sail on three amphibious ships: the amphibious assault flagship Iwo Jima (LHD 7), the San Antonio-class transport dock San Antonio (LPD 17), and the newly commissioned Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28).

According to CNN, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd MEU were sent under U.S. Southern Command to give the president a wide range of military options if he chooses to target drug cartels. Reuters reported that other assets were also being deployed to the southern Caribbean, including at least one submarine and several P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft.

The administration has already taken steps to intensify its approach to transnational crime. In February, the Sinaloa Cartel from Mexico and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua were designated as global terrorist organizations.

Additionally, at least two destroyers have been deployed in recent months to bolster border security and support counter-narcotics operations. Even so, officials caution that the Marines currently headed to the region have not received specialized training for drug interdiction missions.

Concerns about amphib readiness are not new, but the situation has worsened. A Government Accountability Office report last December revealed that half of the Navy’s 32 amphibious warfare ships were in poor material condition.

The Marine Corps has long argued that an 80 percent readiness rate is necessary to successfully carry out its missions with the current fleet size. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith has gone so far as to label the state of amphib readiness a “crisis.”

“I have the Marines, and I have the squadrons, and I have the battalions and the batteries … I just don’t have the amphibs,” Gen. Smith told VOA late last year.

The Navy’s maintenance backlog has contributed significantly to the problem. Since 2010, the service has consistently failed to meet its own maintenance schedules for amphibs. In fact, between 2010 and 2021, more than two-thirds of scheduled maintenance periods for amphibious warfare ships were extended beyond their original timelines.

The GAO estimated that this added up to 28.5 years of lost training and deployment time for those ships and the Marines who depend on them.

While amphibs account for only 10 percent of the Navy’s fleet, their versatility makes them indispensable.

They are often the go-to alternative to aircraft carriers when commanders require a rapid or more precise option. Marine Expeditionary Units embarked on amphibs are capable of a wide range of missions, from launching fighter jet strikes to conducting non-combatant evacuation operations and delivering disaster relief.

Because of these capabilities, the shortage of available amphibs is more than just a logistical setback.

It affects the United States’ ability to respond quickly and flexibly to emerging crises. At the same time, it places strain on Marines and sailors who must operate under uncertain conditions and adapt to deployments disrupted by maintenance delays, natural disasters, and shifting political priorities.

As the Navy and Marine Corps continue to grapple with ship availability and maintenance challenges, the demand for amphibious operations shows no sign of slowing down.

Whether it is combating drug cartels in the Caribbean, responding to humanitarian crises, or preparing for potential conflicts, the readiness of these ships remains central to American military strategy.

Without significant improvements, the gap between ambition and capability will only grow wider.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.