Brought to You by the Members of the U.S. Naval Institute
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) prepares to pull into Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. in 2017. US Navy Photo
The Navy this month will explain to Congress what it needs to keep its ship repair yards able and optimized to maintain modern warships. Read More
The guided missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) leads the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) in formation during a simulated strait transit as part of Dawn Blitz 2017. US Navy Photo
Lawmakers bought themselves two more weeks to pass a defense spending bill, after extending the continuing resolution that has funded the government since the start of the fiscal year, but the Navy is already seeing decreased readiness as a result of operating under a CR and would face severe procurement challenges if a defense budget isn’t passed by the end of the month. Read More
Capt. Mark Melson, commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8), and executive officer Cmdr. David M. Oden inspect the hull of the ship in a floating dry dock at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), Aug. 25. 2017. US Navy Photo
CAPITOL HILL – Nearly half the Navy’s amphibious ships are currently tied up in maintenance availabilities and the service would be several ships short of need if it had to scramble the fleet for a major contingency, in large part due to continuing resolutions and other budget challenges, top Navy and Marine Corps operations officials said today. Read More
Workers from the Vigor Shipyard use a combination of sand and water to sand blast the hull of the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS-40). US Navy Photo
As the Navy’s surface ship maintenance and modernization requirements are projected to keep rising, the maintenance community is testing out a few new ideas to bring in more ship repair yards and help those yards be more efficient in their work. Read More
Information Systems Technician 1st Class Heather Edbauer assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), track inventory while issuing new network computers for shipboard offices. US Navy Photo
THE PENTAGON – The Navy is seeing first-hand that thoughtful data collection and analysis can go a long way in addressing lingering readiness problems, as the Navy Digital Warfare Office continues to roll out a set of pilot programs meant to introduce the service to the benefits of data science.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) transits the Elizabeth river from its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 2016. US Navy Photo
The Navy has gotten creative in dealing with budget uncertainties and continuing resolutions, developing a new ship maintenance contract structure to keep 11 ship availabilities on track at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2018 that would otherwise face major delays due to the impending CR, the head of surface ship maintenance told USNI News. Read More
Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) observe as the ship pulls into Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., on Aug. 5, 2017. US Navy photo.
The Government Accountability Office recommended the Navy revisit its plans to improve and modernize its four public shipyards – something the service is already in the midst of – after finding that the yards’ overall condition remains poor and the timeline and cost to achieve the Navy’s full list of needed improvements continue to grow. Read More
Lt. Cmdr. Taylor South, right, assigned to Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC), and Kevin Eppleman, a civilian diver assigned to Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC), conduct a propeller inspection on the Ticonderoga class-guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) in Souda Bay, Greece, on July 3, 2017. US Navy photo.
SAN DIEGO – The Navy is looking at several changes to its surface ship maintenance practices to keep costs down and on-time deliveries up, including considering a new contracting model and performing open and inspect work early enough for the results to influence the solicitation to industry. Read More
The guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726) arrives at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton on April 4, 2017, to begin a major maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility. US Navy photo.
The Fiscal Year 2017 compromise spending bill has “shortfalls” in ship maintenance funding, but the House Armed Services Committee will look to increase funding for maintenance and modernization availabilities in 2018, two top committee members said today. Read More
The “Pukin’ Dogs” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143 perform a flyover in formation during a homecoming celebration at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana on July 12, 2016. US Navy photo.
THE PENTAGON – The White House released its Fiscal Year 2017 supplemental funding request today, which had been touted as being focused on gaining near-term readiness but may come too late to fully support operations and maintenance additions in this current year. Read More
