The US Navy is rolling out wall-climbing robots to inspect and repair its warships faster, as pressure grows from China's expanding naval fleet. The technology, developed by Gecko Robotics, will be used on ships in the Pacific under a five-year contract worth up to £56 million ($71 million), with an initial award of up to £43 million ($54 million).
For context, the Navy has been dealing with long-standing maintenance delays.
Estimates suggest only about 60% of US warships are operational at any given time, with many stuck in dry dock waiting for repairs. At the same time, China now has around 370 to 390 warships and submarines, compared with roughly 300 in the US fleet, and it is able to produce ships at a much faster rate.
Wall-Climbing Robots to Speed Up Navy Repairs
Instead of relying solely on workers to manually inspect ships, Fox News reported that these robots can climb across steel surfaces such as hulls and flight decks. As they move, they scan for issues like corrosion, metal fatigue and faulty welds.
Traditional inspections can be slow and sometimes risky, with workers needing ropes or scaffolding to reach difficult areas. The robots are designed to gather large amounts of data quickly, helping teams identify problems earlier and plan repairs more efficiently.
The first phase of the project will focus on 18 ships in the US Pacific Fleet. The contract is also structured so other branches of the military could use the same technology in the future.
China Expands Naval Fleet
The challenge for the Navy is not just fleet size, but how many ships are actually ready to deploy. Maintenance delays often mean vessels spend months out of action, especially when unexpected structural issues are discovered during repairs.
There is also a shortage of skilled workers in US shipyards. Recruiting and retaining welders, electricians and technicians has proven difficult, with some reports suggesting many new hires leave within their first year. This has slowed both shipbuilding and maintenance work.
By using robotic systems, the Navy hopes to reduce delays and ease pressure on its workforce. The aim is to raise fleet readiness to about 80% by 2027, meaning more ships would be available for operations at any given time.
The same technology is also being used during ship construction to detect problems early, which could help avoid costly repairs later.
Why China Can Easily Expand Its Fleet
China can build ships faster than the US largely because of how its entire system is set up. Its shipbuilding industry is state-backed and highly centralised, meaning the government can direct resources, funding and labour exactly where they're needed without the same delays or competing priorities seen elsewhere. Many Chinese shipyards also produce both commercial and military vessels, so they benefit from constant activity, steady investment and economies of scale.
In contrast, the US relies more on private contractors and a smaller number of specialised shipyards, which limits flexibility. Projects often involve longer approval processes, stricter regulations and more complex budgeting systems. China's workforce pipeline is also more streamlined, with training and retention more closely tied to national industrial goals.
Put simply, China treats shipbuilding as a continuous national priority, while the US system is more fragmented and slower to scale up quickly.
While the US may not match China in the number of ships it builds, improving how quickly existing vessels can return to service is seen as one way to stay competitive. In practice, having more ships ready to sail could matter just as much as the total number in the fleet.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
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