Win The War At Sea By Strengthening Maintenance Ashore

The U.S. Navy patrols worldwide, with warships supported by an extensive network of logistics at sea and ashore. Yet the complexities posed in the Pacific theater demand rethinking not just power projection and sea control, but also how best to enable the warfighter to ensure maximum lethality. The looming specter of combat repair and wartime action in the Pacific has led to numerous suggestions.

Optimal readiness demands rethinking maintenance.  Less than 40% of U.S. Navy ships complete their drydock repairs on time, the Government Accountability Office testified last year.  Delays in maintenance at public and private shipyards are a direct hit to readiness.

 Maintenance while deployed and underway has long been a challenge. Rough sea state, high OPTEMPO, and the vulnerability of a ship attempting to conduct a major repair in or near a combat zone (where maneuverability is life) further complicate the situation.

U.S. Navy ship crews have extraordinary engineers, but even if an overhaul is attempted underway, the crew often lacks OEM capabilities, specialized expertise, access to parts, and manning capacity to address complex maintenance repairs.  But the capacity to tackle the most challenging repairs for ships while underway is limited.  In reality, the ship’s crew often reaches out for virtual tech support or tech reps flown halfway across the world.  Maintenance at sea also introduces tremendous vulnerabilities.  Shifting overhauls to underway vessels is not the answer. 

Instead, shipyards at home and overseas need to be refocused to enable faster and more effective repairs. Depot-level maintenance – such as engine repair – has long been the gold standard of repairs that exceed ships’ force capabilities. Yet shipyards are congested, and repairs often run both behind schedule and over cost. The “open and inspect” approach to engine overhaul can result in long delays.  In this approach, the ship enters dry dock, its engines are opened for inspection, and then the needed parts are ordered.  Parts delays can extend the maintenance period by weeks and months. 

Innovation and investment can solve that.

Industry is beginning to provide solutions to get ships back in the water more quickly. The U.S. Navy tapped Fairbanks Morse Defense for a pilot program called ‘Pitstop,’ a new approach to engine maintenance and overhaul. Pitstop targeted four LSD-class ships where frequent maintenance delays had led to cost overruns and delayed repairs. The core of this approach is a standardized, pre-certified kit of OEM component parts.  In one case, the strategy included sourcing parts from the decommissioned USS WHIDBEY ISLAND to transfer into the kit for USS ASHLAND.  Focusing ahead on parts availability can significantly reduce maintenance downtime for U.S. Navy ship engines.  Like NASCAR pit crews, where everything needed is instantly at hand, Pitstop streamlines the process, increasing ship readiness and combat capabilities. The Pitstop strategy focuses on a precise 30-day window and has achieved a 60% faster maintenance turnaround, according to FMD. Pitstop has delivered impressive results on both Ship’s Service Diesel Generator (SSDG) and Main Propulsion Diesel Engine (MPDE) for USS GUNSTON HALL (LSD 44), USS ASHLAND (LSD 48), USS OAK HILL (LSD 51), and USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52).

The time is right for other operational innovations.  Currently, the ship’s force is not typically integrated into shipyard maintenance, but it should be incorporated to expedite work and build greater skills in responding to minor engine and equipment casualties at sea. Expanding the U.S. Navy’s network of shipyards – particularly in the Pacific – can enable highly capable partners, such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia, to contribute.  On September 30, the USNS ALAN SHEPARD, a Military Sealift Command vessel, arrived at HD Hyundai’s dock in South Korea for maintenance, repair, and overhaul. 

The larger problem is to increase shipyard maintenance capacity.  This has been done before.  In 1940, America had 168,000 shipyard workers, but expanded to more than 1.5 million to meet the demands of World War II. Technology lent a hand; preassembly reduced the need for advanced skills; local training programs ensured the right capabilities; and strategies were devised to improve efficiency. Enhancing training programs – such as partnering with local trade schools, high schools, or community colleges – can bring a new generation of skilled workers. Warfighting demands innovative approaches to complex challenges. Advance planning, enhanced industry support, expanded shipyard workforces, willingness to team with partners at ports abroad, and American ingenuity.