Middle East operations could strain Navy, Marine Corps budget and training plans

Top military leaders are warning members of Congress that the cost of ongoing military operations in the Middle East, along with other recent efforts, including in counternarcotics, could soon force difficult decisions on training and overall readiness.

During a congressional subcommittee budget hearing this week, lawmakers questioned how long the Navy and Marine Corps can sustain its current level of operations with a historic amount of warships in the Middle East.

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Ken Calvert asked Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle how long the Navy could continue operating at its current pace before funding runs short.

“Sir, I will have to start making decisions to change training, operations, certifications events, those types of things we do to generate our force, in the July time frame in the current expenditure,” Caudle said.

The warning comes as Calvert outlined that the Navy is making a $377.5 billion budget request, a 23% increase over the previous fiscal year.

Calvert noted the financial impact the war against Iran has had and said, “Our munitions stockpiles are depleted, our fleet has deferred maintenance — critical maintenance — and our service members have been operating on an extended deployment schedule.”

Rep. Betty McCollum also warned that rising fuel costs tied to the conflict could further strain military operations.

“In addition to the threats our sailors and Marines face, I’m concerned about the broader costs of the war,” McCollum said. “The skyrocketing costs of fuel will limit the Navy and the Marine Corps ability to conduct exercises for the rest of the year.”

Potential reductions in training and certification efforts could have a significant impact in San Diego, home to more than 136,000 active-duty service members, including roughly a fourth of all Marines and a sixth of all Navy sailors, according to the San Diego Military Advisory Council.

Lawmakers also raised concerns about the growing size of China’s naval fleet compared with the United States’.

“Despite our focus on the Middle East and elsewhere across the globe, China still remains our pacing threat,” Calvert added.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently testified that the war effort in Iran has carried a nearly $30 billion price tag. The Defense Department is now facing pressure to replenish munitions stockpiles, improve shipbuilding capabilities and maintain readiness for future threats while continuing current operations.

The Department of Defense’s proposed budget for the upcoming year totals $1.5 trillion, the largest defense proposal in U.S. history.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.