Why a forward-deployed navy still needs repair ships

Does the U.S. Navy need new repair ships?

Yes, especially for forward operations where port facilities may be damaged, denied, or too vulnerable to rely upon.

A navy planning forward operations cannot assume friendly port infrastructure will survive or remain accessible. An opponent may strike docks, workshops, power, and supply facilities before damaged ships arrive. A repair ship carries part of that recovery capacity with the fleet and can operate where shore support is denied or degraded. Its value rises with distance from the navy's secure home bases. Repair vessels provide an operational hedge against the vulnerability of fixed infrastructure.