Photo By Dorie Heyer | MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (April 27, 2018) - Melissa Olson, Deputy Director, Littoral Combat...... read more read more
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — When a Navy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is sitting on the deck of a littoral combat ship (LCS) rather than deployed in the battlespace, there are only two questions the ship supply officer, or SUPPO, wants answered; where is my part, and when will I get it? The bottom line for combatant commanders is stopping operations in the battlespace is not an option, especially when it is due to a maintenance issue or backordered parts. For them, supporting America’s warfighters in their area of operation is paramount.
Recently, a group of senior leaders from across the Navy came together at the NAVSUP-hosted Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Summit to discuss challenges and strengthen partnerships with the Systems Commands (SYSCOMs) through the development of collaborative strategies based on lessons learned. Specifically, this group was looking near term to ensure open communication and alignment among the next four LCS platforms preparing to deploy. Relatively new to the Fleet, the LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused-platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric "anti-access" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.
Briefing topics and discussions covered in the summit included Fleet Maintenance and Readiness, NAVSUP WSS Initiatives and Challenges, NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center-Logistics Support Team Fleet Waterfront Support, DLA Support Initiatives, Unmanned Maritime Systems Support Issues, Mission Package Support Facility Initiatives, Mine Warfare Systems, and the Frigate Sustainment Strategy.
Representing the major players at the summit were Rear Adm. John P. Neagley, Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO, USC); Mr. Nidak A. Sumrean, PEO USC Executive Director; Rear Adm. Jonathan A. Yuen, Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command; Mr. Michael Madden, Vice Commander, NAVSUP; Rear Adm. Duke Heinz, Commander, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support; and Mrs. Lynn Kohl, Vice Commander, NAVSUP WSS. Additionally, the following stakeholders were also represented: NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC), Commander Naval Surface Atlantic, United States Fleet Forces Command, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One (LCSRON 1), Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two (LCSRON 2), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Supply, Ordnance and Logistics Operations Division, N41, OPNAV: and Surface Warfare, OPNAV N96.
The LCS has its maintenance challenges with its highly technological advances, and its ability to perform multiple missions which, in some cases, can lead to obsolete parts. In simple terms, technology sometimes advances more quickly than the expected lifespan of a given system. Melissa Olson, Deputy Director, LCS Integrated Weapon Systems Team (IWST), provided an example. She said, “Imagine you have the very latest smart phone. By the time you get it home from the store and start exploring its capabilities, there are already software updates, and a newer model of the phone is already in production. In the case of the some of the components onboard LCS, up to 20 or 30 percent face obsolescence issues,” said Olson. “The challenge we face is not that the system has outlived its usefulness, but rather there may not be a manufacturer still making a specific part. But forums like this help us explore solutions to ensure our Warfighters are still mission-ready.”
Among some of the solutions being discussed, NAVSUP WSS encouraged the PEO to be more proactive in planning and budgeting for the various non program of record electronic systems expected to experience near-term obsolescence. In addition, opportunities exist for improving provisioning inputs to decrease contracting challenges and increase on-board allowance effectiveness.
Over the next five years, the Navy is scheduled to receive up to 30 new LCSs which could lead to four times the challenges currently being faced. However, according to Lynn Kohl, this is precisely the reason communication is vital to the success of standing up and maintaining these ships.
“NAVSUP Weapon System Support is a key player in the success of the U.S. Navy LCS because we are the Navy’s only Program Support Inventory Control Point, and we provide hands-on, timely, support to our customers,” said Kohl. “It is imperative NAVSUP WSS is involved when new platforms and systems are in the early stages of the acquisition lifecycle. We are the critical link connecting the supplies and support to the warfighter to ensure naval readiness.”
The LCS program does not have a forerunner system. LCS was envisioned to fill a role in maritime littoral operations satisfying identified capability gaps. This single vessel fills a void where no other system existed. LCS is a focused-mission, modular, surface combatant—smaller than a Frigate (FFG) but larger than a Patrol Costal (PC) ship or Mine Countermeasures (MCM) ship—an LCS Seaframe with an embarked Mission Package (MP) allows the Navy to conduct most missions currently performed by a PC, MCM, or FFG, dependent on which MP is embarked.
LCSs can be minimally manned, and shore support is required to manage some functions. Shore personnel are required to support LCS administrative functions, supply support, training, and ship specific preventive maintenance. Additionally, the LCS concept of operations and fleet requirements call for greater deployed time than other ship classes, allowed by rotational crewing.
By hosting the LCS USC Summit, and other events like it, NAVSUP WSS planners can identify challenges earlier, forecast program support demands and execute critical functions as the Navy’s PSICP.
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.05.2018 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 279641 |
| Location: | MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 346 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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