Viral Photo Highlights A Silent Enemy Plaguing The US Navy
Rust or corrosion is a silent enemy that plagues the United States Navy and its seagoing vessels for as long as they are at sea. In the viral photo below, you can see evidence of rust caused by a relentless barrage of saltwater spray.
The Navy ship in question is the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105). The photo was taken while docking at Singapore’s Sembawang port on February 18, 2025. Comments on the photo, which has been shared hundreds of times on various social media platforms, express concerns about the ship’s readiness and the Navy’s apparent lack of concern for its maintenance. But similar to this How to protect your car from rustThe Navy spends a significant amount of time and effort combating the silent enemy attacking its ships.
The Navy says its ships are designed to withstand the harsh climate associated with life in and near the ocean, but preventive maintenance to reduce rust damage is never-ending. Over the years, the Navy’s war against rust has involved the ship’s captain’s mates and other Sailors assigned to the deck department cleaning, sanding and painting surfaces inside and outside their assigned ships. However, the new attack plan, implemented in February 2026, will take the war to the next stage.
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The US Navy’s revised war against rust
Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) navigates the Timor Sea during Exercise Kakadu 2024 – United States Navy / Wikimedia Commons
A video published by the US Defense News YouTube channel provides information about a new plan the Navy has launched to combat rust on warships. The multifaceted plan aims to improve the appearance of Navy ships, reduce maintenance costs and ensure the fleet is ready after “years of delayed corrosion work.” The Navy’s war against rust is nothing new. This has been going on since the Navy began using ferrous metals in its wooden ships, long before the first steel-hulled Navy ships entered the fleet in 1886. Although the US Navy still uses wooden-hulled ships, the majority of the current warship fleet consists primarily of steel.
The Navy’s newly announced plan to combat rust on its ships starts with the ships’ design. Improved designs that could be incorporated into the U.S. Navy’s newest warships allow seawater to be completely drained from ship surfaces to help reduce standing water that can seep into crevices and cause corrosion. At the same time, the use of corrosion-resistant materials such as composites and stainless steel for fittings and structures reduces maintenance efforts that can be focused elsewhere.
An important part of the new plan is to ensure that all existing rust is removed before painting. Sailors performing duties at sea are encouraged not to paint over rust on surfaces. They also receive improved tools and cleaners to make the job more effective. When ships dock at shipyards for maintenance, special contractor teams use special methods to control corrosion and install new fittings and scuppers with improved water drainage designs.
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