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Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress By Ronald O’Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs

Multiyear Procurement (MYP)

The Virginia-class attack submarine (see Figure 1) was designed to be less expensive and better optimized for post-Cold War submarine missions than the Seawolf-class design. The Virginia-class design is slightly larger than the Los Angeles-class design, but incorporates newer technologies. Virginiaclass boats currently cost about $2.8 billion each to procure. The first Virginia-class boat entered service in October 2004.

The 10 Virginia-class boats shown in Table 1 for the period FY2014-FY2018 (referred to as the Block IV boats) are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract that was approved by Congress as part of its action on the FY2013 budget, and awarded by the Navy on April 28, 2014. The eight Virginia-class boats procured in FY2009-FY2013 (the Block III boats) were procured under a previous MYP Past and Projected Annual contract, and the five Virginia-class boats Procurement Quantities procured in FY2004-FY2008 (the Block II boats) were procured under a still-earlier Table 1 shows annual numbers of MYP contract. The four boats procured in Virginia-class boats procured from FY1998 FY1998-FY2002 (the Block I boats) were (the lead boat) through FY2014, and numbers procured under a block buy contract, an scheduled for procurement under the FY2016arrangement somewhat similar to an MYP FY2020 Future Years DefenseNavyPlan (FYDP). Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement contract. The boat procured in FY2003 fell Figure 1. Virginia-Class Attack Submarine Figure 1. Virginia-Class Attack Submarine between the FY1998-FY2002 block buy contract and the FY2004-FY2008 MYP arrangement, and was contracted for separately.

Joint Production Arrangement Virginia-class boats are built jointly by General Dynamics’ Electric Boat Division (GD/EB) of Groton, Conn., and Quonset Point, R.I., and Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) of Newport News, Va., which forms Table 1. Annual Numbers of Virginia-Class Boats Procured or Projected for Procurement

Source: U.S. Navy file photo accessed by CRS on January 11, 2011, at http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp? story_id=55715.

Multiyear Procurement FY98 FY99(MYP)FY00

FY01

FY02

FY03

FY04

The 10 Virginia-class boats 1 1shown in Table 0 1 for the1period FY2014-FY2018 1 1(referred to1as the Block IV boats) are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract10 that was approved by Congress as part of its action on the FY2013 budget, and awarded by the Navy on FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 April 28, 2014. The eight Virginia-class boats procured in FY2009-FY2013 (the Block III boats) were procured and the boats 1 under a previous 2 MYP contract, 2 2 five Virginia-class 2 2 procured2in FY2004-FY2008 (the Block II boats) were procured under a still-earlier MYP contract. The four boats procured in FY1998-FY2002 (the Block I boats) were procured under a block buy contract, which is an arrangement somewhat similar to an MYP contract.11 The boat procured in FY2003 fell between the FY1998-FY2002 block buy contract and the FY2004-FY2008 MYP arrangement, and was contracted for separately.

FY05 1

FY06 1

FY07 1

FY08 1

FY17 2

FY18 2

FY19 2

FY20 2

FY09 1

28 Apr 2015

Plus:

• X-47B Autonomous Aerial Refueling • Carrier Strike Group 8 Changes Command

Nuclear Weapons Safety and Security By Vice Admiral Terry J. Benedict, Director, Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) The first priority, and the most important, is the safety and security of the Navy’s nuclear weapons. Accordingly, Navy leadership clearly delegated and defined SSP’s role V. Adm. as the program manager Terry J. Benedict and technical authority for the Navy’s nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons security. At its most basic level, this priority is the physical security of one of our nation’s most valuable assets. Our Marines and Navy masters-at-arms provide an effective and integrated elite security force at our two Strategic Weapons Facilities and Waterfront Restricted Areas in Kings Bay, Ga., and Bangor, Wash. U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Units have been commissioned at both facilities to protect our submarines as they transit to and from their dive points. These Coast Guardsmen and the vessels they man provide a security umbrella for our Ohio-class submarines. Together, the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard team form the foundation of our Nuclear Weapons Security Program, and my headquarters staff ensures that our nuclear weapons capable activities continuously meet or exceed security, safety and compliance criteria. SSP’s efforts to sustain the safety and improve the security of these national assets continue at all levels of the organization. The Navy’s nuclear weapons enterprise maintains a culture of self-assessment in order to sustain safety and security. This is accomplished through biannual assessments by SSP headquarters staff, periodic technical evaluations,

Continued On pAGE 12 ➥ Continued On pAGE 15 ➥

www.navy-kmi.com For a discussion of MYP contracting, see CRS Report R41909, Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy 10

Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke and Moshe Schwartz. For a discussion of block buy contracting, see CRS Report R41909, Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke and Moshe Schwartz.

April 28, 2015

Table of Contents Editorial Editor

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J.B. Bissell • Kasey Chisholm • Catherine Day Michael Frigand • Nora McGann

Art & Design

Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nuclear Weapons Safety and Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Carrier Strike Group 8 Changes Command

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Integrated Maritime Portable Acoustic Scoring and Simulation (IMPASS) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Remotely Operated Vehicle Intervention System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Navy Training Virtual Desktop Installations Mark Milestone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Art Director

P-8A Engine Maintenance and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

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X-47B First to Complete Autonomous Aerial Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

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Triton UAS Conducts First Flight with Search Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

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USS McFaul Deploys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Andrea Herrera andreah@kmimediagroup.com Amanda Paquette amandak@kmimediagroup.com

World’s First LNG-Powered Containership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

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Acoustic Device Countermeasure MK 2 MOD 4/MOD 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

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Calendar of Events May 5-7, 2015 AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Atlanta, Ga. www.auvsishow.org/ auvsi2015

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

May 5-7, 2015 AFCEA Defensive Cyber Operations Symposium Baltimore, Md. www.afcea.org

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Carrier Strike Group 8 Changes Command On April 17, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8 held a change-of-command ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station. Rear Admiral Victorino G. Mercado was relieved by Rear Admiral Bret C. Batchelder as commander, Carrier Strike Group 8. Mercado assumed command of CSG-8 in June 2014. He led the strike group when it shifted flagships from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) to USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) to support fleet readiness and operational requirements. Following the shift, he successfully guided the strike group’s ships and aircraft through an intensive maintenance and modernization availability and basic training, laying the foundation for integrated strike group operations. Admiral Phil Davidson, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and former CSG-8 commander praised Mercado’s leadership. “Thank you and well done to a friend and leader who built a solid foundation for CSG-8; my old carrier strike group, and still my favorite CSG,” said Davidson. “Vic excelled while leading the strike group, and his responsibilities were vast: 7,500 sailors, 14 ships and the seven aircraft squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 7. He put them on the path to be able to fight and to win.” Mercado, in turn, thanked the sailors of the strike group for their unwavering talent, dedication and professionalism. “I commend the great work put forth by the crews of Ike and Truman as they continue preparing their ships to train, fight and deploy to defend the nation,” said Mercado. “It has been an honor to serve with these outstanding sailors and their leadership. With the help of our shipyard partners, these warships are better equipped to return to sea to perform operations around the globe. I will follow closely their certain, continued success.” Mercado’s previous commands include commanding officer, USS Decatur (DDG 73), which completed an accelerated deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and commander, Destroyer Squadron 21 as sea combatant commander for the John C. Stennis Battle Group. Mercado’s next assignment is director, assessment division, N81, office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Batchelder, a decorated naval aviator with more than 100 combat missions and more than 1,000 carrier-based landings, said he is excited to take command of CSG-8, which includes the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.

“It is an incredible honor to take command of Carrier Strike Group 8,” said Batchelder. “I applaud the hard work, dedication and resiliency the strike group has shown to meet every challenge thrown at them through a series of demanding maintenance and training evolutions.” Batchelder, a Colorado native, has served much of his naval career aboard aircraft carriers including USS Midway (CV 41), USS Constellation (CV 64), USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Truman, while attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 151 and as commanding officer of VFA-105. He also served as commander, Carrier Air Wing 11. Most recently, Batchelder commanded Joint Enabling Capabilities Command as part of U.S. Transportation Command. “A carrier strike group is an awesome thing,” said Davidson. “Carrier Strike Group 8 can go wherever and whenever our nation needs it, in incredibly short order. A strike group commander can collect its ships, aircraft and submarines and speed to any distant corner on the planet. A carrier strike group’s mission is concise: to be ready to conduct prompt sustained combat operations at sea, and they do so, always, in defense of this nation and its interests.” CSG-8’s subordinate commands include USS Truman, Carrier Air Wing 7, the guided-missile cruisers USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and USS Hue City (CG 66), as well as ships assigned to Destroyer Squadron 28; the guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Mitscher (DDG 57), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109).

Integrated Maritime Portable Acoustic Scoring and Simulation (IMPASS) System The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division intends to award a firm-fixed-price (FFP) and cost, indefinite-delivery indefinitequantity (IDIQ) contract on an other than full and open competition basis to MetOcean Data Systems, LLC. The contract will provide 16 IMPASS Version 4 production units with upgraded components that include sensor buoy subsystems, RF repeater subsystems, control subsystems, support and deployment

equipment. The IMPASS is comprised of several buoys that are deployed in an area of open ocean for maritime combat training, which captures an acoustic signature of ordnance impacting the water and transmits the time of the capture and location of impact. The IMPASS Version 4 is an upgrade of components and based on an open architecture network, software and hardware that enable the use of technology advances and

development to deliver a more capable and robust weapon scoring system. It is anticipated that the majority of this effort will be performed at the contractor’s facility. The Navy is contemplating a contract with an ordering period of five years, and anticipates award approximately in July 2015. Primary point of contact: Haiyan Li, haiyan.li@navy.mil, (760) 939-8519

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

Navy Training Virtual Desktop Installations Mark Milestone Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) has hit a milestone in their upgrades of electronic classrooms throughout the Navy’s training domain. On April 16 the 3,000th virtual desktop was established at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) in Oceana, Va. The NETC Virtual Desktop Initiative (VDI) began in 2012 and is deploying new computer systems to more than 23,000 desktop computers in 2,500 classrooms throughout the NETC domain. According to the NETC information technology team, the VDI systems give instructors and students better technology and flexibility in the classroom, which in time will allow them to teach the curriculum at virtually any NETC learning site. “Users log on, and it knows who they are and can provide the proper content,” said Bruce Bare, NETC Information Technology Business Operations department head. The biggest selling points, he said, are flexibility, minimal change to current user experience and improved security posture. A student can log into the system from any classroom to the appropriate server and see the appropriate training materials. “The VDI capability allows CNATT to explore even more

innovative ways to support the fleet,” said Captain Katherine Erb, commanding officer of CNATT headquarters in Pensacola, Fla. “No longer will many of our courses be tethered to a specific physical location.” Additionally, an enterprise support team will change or update the operating system, where only the master image receives the updates, then replicates across the system instead of the site technician(s) manually working on potentially hundreds of computers at a learning site. This reduces downtime for computers and increases the efficiency of technicians responsible for maintaining sites. “We don’t need someone to go around and touch individual machines anymore,” Bare said. “We need fewer information technicians, but they need to have higher skills.” Maintenance at the training site generally focuses on hardware, meaning technicians are still necessary onsite. Meanwhile, programming and system management moves to one of three planned service centers, which require additional talent. First implemented at the CNATTU on board Keesler, Air Force Base, Mo., VDI represents a seamless integration in the way content is delivered. Students and

instructors use zero clients, basically a monitor, keyboard and mouse, to access a virtual machine on a server in a secure facility on the base. The zero client stores no operating system or software. The virtual machines stay active yet secure when the user removes their CAC card, allowing them to access their image from any other zero client. Once the user logs off, the virtual instance ends allowing for a pristine image the next time the user logs on. Most importantly, according to Bare, they’re flexible, allowing users to access the same courseware even when using different zero clients or classrooms. This flexibility ensures that training is not bogged down by maintenance or technical problems in one classroom. By the end of the fiscal year, the VDI team expects to have eight more learning sites running on the new solution, joining the 13 that are already virtualized. “The ability to streamline IT investments in the long term is very important,” Bare said, noting that funding is always a challenge. Bare estimates completion of the unclassified VDI transition by the end of 2017. “Typically when we go into a site, we have a goal of virtualizing 80 percent of what’s

there,” Bare said. “We’ve been able to exceed that goal quite well by virtualizing over 90 percent.” Some content, like large databases, don’t transfer over to the new system, so the engineers working on VDI have been taking what they can over to the new system and will readdress that content once the transition is complete. The CNATT Detachment at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field, Fla., completed their transition to VDI in March, according to Lieutenant James Bailey, who is the director of Aviation Maintenance Officer training and also an instructor. The installation began in January and took about two and a half months. “There’s really no difference in the way that I teach,” said Bailey. Bailey is currently teaching his ninth class, each between 20 and 25 students, and his first using VDI. Having done most of his training on traditional desktops, he appreciates the teamwork that helped implement this new system. “The VDI team support personnel have been actively engaged with us. When we had questions or weren’t sure of things, they wanted to make sure we had the best possible product,” Bailey said. “They’ve been very open to our suggestions and feedback.”

Remotely Operated Vehicle Intervention System The Naval Sea Systems Command intends to issue a competitive request for proposal to manufacture, test and deliver a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) intervention system with associated program management support. An ROV intervention

system includes an ROV, operations van, maintenance/spares van, launch and recovery system, umbilical and associated deck interconnects. The ROV Intervention System will replace the Atmospheric Diving System (ADS) 2000 hard suits as the intervention

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

asset for the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System and the submarine rescue chamber. Primary point of contact is: Tchwan Slye, tchwan.slye@navy.mil, (202) 781-3972

P-8A Engine Maintenance and Support The Navy is currently transitioning from the P-3C to the new P-8A Poseidon. The P-8A fleet is planning to conduct operations out of two main operating bases (MOBs) – Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Fla., NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., and three overseas primary deployment sites (PDSs). Squadrons deploy from MOBs to PDSs in order to meet the operational commitments. Under the proposed basing plan, a permanent detachment site will be established in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Proposed support of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)/Australian Defense Force P-8A aircraft will be accomplished through a mixture of MOB and forward operating bases. The P-8 is a derivative of the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation (NG) with stiffened 737-900ER wings incorporating raked wingtips for increased fuel economy. Propulsion is provided by two underwing-mounted CFM56-7B27 A/3 or 7B27 AE high-bypass turbofan engines producing 27,300 pounds of installed static thrust at sea level, standard day conditions. The NAVAIR P-8A Program Office (PMA-290) is conducting a market survey to identify potential business sources that have the resources, capabilities and experience for CFM56 engine field assessment, unscheduled engine repair, technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines and depot scheduled and

unscheduled maintenance and repair in support of the P-8A. The P-8A CFM56-7B27 engine is supported using a two-level organizational-todepot (O-to-D) maintenance concept. Typical O-Level tasks include pre- and post-flight checks, servicing, inspections and the removal and replacement of external engine components. Technical assistance/support for engine removal and replacement will be required until the maintenance capability is achieved at the squadron. Depot level tasks, (on wing or off wing) include all maintenance that is beyond the capability of the O-level maintenance activity and induction into a maintenance and repair overhaul facility. The contractor shall perform all necessary tasks to repair the engine and return it to a ready for

issue condition. Depot maintenance includes scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, receipt, inspection, disassembly, repair, installation of service letters, service bulletins, technical directives, testing and preservation. The P-8A CFM56-7B27 engine differs from commercial based on operational usage resulting in unique life limits. The scheduled depot maintenance concept for the P-8A CFM-56-72B27 A/3 and 7B27 AE engines is different from the commercial equivalent. When inducted into the MRO facility the engine will arrive as a complete demountable power plant. The current P-8A build window is 6,000 cycles. Primary point of contact: Alexandra Laigle, alexandra.laigle@navy.mil

X-47B First to Complete Autonomous Aerial Refueling The X-47B successfully conducted the first ever Autonomous Aerial Refueling (AAR) of an unmanned aircraft April 22, completing the final test objective under the Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System demonstration program. While flying off the coast of Maryland and Virginia, the X-47B connected to an Omega K-707 tanker aircraft and received more than 4,000 pounds of fuel using the Navy’s probe-and-drogue method. “What we accomplished today demonstrates a significant, groundbreaking step forward for the Navy,” said Captain Beau Duarte, the Navy’s unmanned carrier aviation program manager. “The ability to autonomously transfer and receive fuel in flight will increase the range and flexibility of future unmanned aircraft platforms, ultimately extending carrier power projection.” During the test, the X-47B exchanged refueling messages with a government-designed Refueling Interface System (RIS) aboard the tanker. The aircraft autonomously maneuvered its fixed refueling probe into the tanker’s drogue, also known as the basket, the same way a Navy pilot would refuel a manned aircraft.

“In manned platforms, aerial refueling is a challenging maneuver because of the precision required by the pilot to engage the basket,” Duarte said. “Adding an autonomous functionality creates another layer of complexity.” This testing helps solidify the concept that future unmanned aircraft can perform standard missions like aerial refueling and operate seamlessly with manned aircraft as part of the Carrier Air Wing, he said. “This segment of the X-47B demonstration program allowed us to further mature AAR technologies and evaluate the government tanker RIS,” said Barbara Weathers, X-47B deputy program manager. “We used similar command-control and navigation processes previously demonstrated during the X-47B landings aboard the aircraft carrier.” Over the last few years, the Navy accomplished several significant firsts with the X-47B that showcased the Navy’s commitment to unmanned carrier aviation. With the completion of this program, the service continues to develop its future unmanned carrier-based platform, known as UCLASS. www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

Triton UAS Conducts First Flight with Search Radar The Navy’s MQ-4C Triton UAS equipped with a new search radar completed its inaugural flight April 18 over Patuxent River air space. The radar, known as the Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS), is expected to greatly enhance maritime domain awareness by providing the MQ-4C with a 360-degree view of a large geographic area while providing all-weather coverage to expedite detecting, classifying, tracking and identifying points of interest. “This first sensor flight is a huge achievement for the program,” said Sean Burke, Triton program manager. “Our Navy and Northrop Grumman team has worked extremely hard on this developmental effort, completing more than 40 surrogate flights over the last three years, and we saw the realization of that development work.” During this initial test event, MFAS exercised its primary operating mode, known as Maritime Surface Surveillance (MSS). The MSS mode provides continuous watch over a broad area. “Our primary objective was to test this new radar, but we also looked at how the aircraft performed as well as testing additional data links,” said Lieutenant Commander Glenn Rioux, government flight test director and senior Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 representative supporting the Triton integrated test team. “This was a successful flight on many levels. We are still reviewing the data and actively planning our next text event.” Along with the MFAS radar, the MQ-4C will also carry an Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/ IR) sensor that will provide still imagery and full-motion video of potential threats; an electronic support measures package to identify and geolocate radar threat signals; and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) that will detect and track vessels equipped with AIS responders. When operational, the MQ-4C Triton UAS will provide 24/7 ISR coverage virtually anywhere in the world. Its ability to dwell at high altitudes will improve intelligence collection and bring an unprecedented level of maritime domain awareness to the warfighter operating and sustaining up to five orbits across the globe.

USS McFaul Deploys The guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) departed Naval Station Norfolk April 22, for an independent deployment in support of ballistic missile defense, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. McFaul will deploy as part of the ongoing mission to preserve regional security and protect the global flow of trade, in addition to supporting U.S. forces operating around the world and guarding against current and emerging ballistic missile threats.

“This crew is dedicated and excited to get under way and start our deployment. They have worked tirelessly for the past two years preparing and are ready to execute when called upon,” said Commander Michael J. Gunther, commanding officer. “The ‘Silent Warriors’ of McFaul are well trained, capable and more than ready to carry out all assigned missions.” Commissioned in 1998, McFaul is the 24th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built by the Navy. She is named after Chief Petty Officer Donald McFaul, a Navy Seal who died during Operation: Just Cause in 1989.

World’s First LNG-Powered Containership General Dynamics NASSCO recently launched the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered containership at a ceremony at the company’s shipyard in San Diego. The christening and launch ceremony also commemorated NASSCO’s 100th ship launch. U.S. Representative Duncan D. Hunter was the principal speaker. The ship’s sponsor, Mrs. Sophie Sacco—wife of Michael Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO—christened the ship with a traditional champagne bottle break over the ship’s hull. General Paul J. Selva, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, also spoke at the ceremony. The ship’s name, Isla Bella, was unveiled during the ceremony. The ship was built for TOTE, a leading transportation and logistics company. “The launch of the Isla Bella signals a very significant milestone for the thousands of men and women at NASSCO. Not only does it commemorate NASSCO’s 100th ship launch, it validates NASSCO’s capability to break new ground in green ship technology and lead in the design, construction and conversion of ships to take advantage of the economic and environmental benefits of LNG,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. As part of a two-ship contract signed in December 2012 with TOTE, the 764-foot-long Marlin-class containerships will be the largest dry cargo ships of any kind in the world powered by LNG. This ground-breaking green ship technology will dramatically decrease emissions while increasing fuel efficiency as compared to conventionally powered ships. The ships will also include a ballast water treatment system, making them the greenest ships of their size anywhere in the world. Upon delivery in late 2015, the Jones Act-qualified ships will operate between Jacksonville, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a complement to its government new construction business, which over the past decade has delivered 16 ships to the U.S. Navy, NASSCO maintains an extensive history of commercial shipbuilding. In the past decade, NASSCO delivered 11 commercial ships and currently has 10 commercial ships under contract, including the two Marlinclass containerships for TOTE. For its commercial work, NASSCO partners with South Korean shipbuilding power DSME for access to state-of-the-art ship design and shipbuilding technologies.

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

Acoustic Device Countermeasure MK 2 MOD 4/MOD 5 Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport intends to issue a full and open competitive solicitation for the production of acoustic device countermeasure (ADC) MK 2 MOD 4/ MOD 5 devices. The ADC MK 2 MOD 4/MOD 5 devices are 3 inches in diameter, expendable countermeasure devices developed to provide U.S. naval vessels with the capability to counter torpedo threats. There are two variants. The ADC MK 2 MOD 4 is used on surface vessels and launched by hand. The ADC MK 2 MOD 5 is used on submarines and launched from the internal countermeasure launcher, also known as the signal ejector. At this point, the Navy contemplates awarding of firm-fixed-price

People

V. Adm. Nora W. Tyson

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard P. Snyder

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard L. Williams Jr.

Air-to-Ground Missile for F/A-18E/F

contract, with cost-plus-fixed-fee components for engineering services and cost reimbursement contract line item numbers. The requirements will consist of a base year and up to four one-year options to manufacture, assemble, inspect, test, package and deliver the ADC MK 2 MOD 4/MOD 5 production devices. Approximately 3,505 MK 2 MOD 4 and 3,000 MK 2 MOD 5 devices will be procured. The RFP (N00253-15-R-0005) is expected to be released electronically on or around August 5, 2015. Primary point of contact: Jamie Yourkoski, jamie.yourkoski@navy.mil, (360) 315-3566

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Navy Vice Admiral Nora W. Tyson has been nominated for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and for assignment as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, Calif. Tyson is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.

Rear Admiral (lower half) Richard P. Snyder, selected for the rank of rear admiral, will be assigned as director for plans, policy and strategy, J-5, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Snyder is currently serving as director, 21st Century Sailor Office, N17, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Arlington, Va.

Program Executive Office, Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO [U&W]) Program Manager Aviation (PMA-242) is seeking industry input in the form of an informational paper to support future acquisition planning for a direct-attack, fire-and-forget weapon for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The Navy is looking for information on any research, technologies and existing programs that might assist them in determining the feasibility and affordability of providing for an AGM with a multimode seeker for employment against maritime and land-based targets from F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. Although PMA-242 is interested in potential solutions that could be applied to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet weapon portfolio, the primary purpose of this RFI is to solicit information for an AGM system with a multimode seeker. Any industry offered recommendations should discuss concepts and designs that leverage existing weaponry hardware and software to the greatest extent possible in their informational paper submission. PMA-242 has several design preferences that should be considered for all submissions: • Forward firing ordnance for reduced time of flight and greater agility against maneuvering targets • High-off boresight (HOBS) capability to allow for engagement of designated targets from any angle off of ownship nose • Compatible with a MIL-STD-1760 multirail launcher or an existing MIL-STD-1760 launcher • Insensitive munitions (IM) compliant • No requirement for unique support equipment • Incorporates a universal armament interface Parties interested in providing responses to this RFI need to submit a statement of interest by 5:00 p.m. EDT, May 5, 2015. Complete responses are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT, July 24, 2015. Primary point of contact: Brandi Firestien, brandi.firestien@navy.mil, (301) 757-7051

Rear Admiral (lower half) Richard L. Williams Jr., will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Fifteen, North Island, Calif. Williams is currently serving as commander, Navy Region Hawaii; and commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) intends to post a solicitation for one engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract, data items and provisioned item orders, as well as options for data rights, engineering services, Variant 1 and 2 production non-recurring engineering effort for Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) Variant 1 and 2, transition to production, first article testing, and physical configuration audit, field engineering services, production engineering services, travel, and Variant 1 and 2 long lead material for the EASR. (editor’s note: see also Navy Air/Sea April 7, 2015) EASR is envisioned as a new radar designed to be scalable and adaptable to accommodate current and future mission requirements for multiple platforms. EASR will consist of two configuration variants: Variant 1, a rotating array, and Variant 2, a fixed-face phased array. EASR will be the primary air surveillance radar supporting ship self-defense, situational awareness and air traffic control (ATC) for Ford class carriers (CVN 79+). For other ship classes, EASR will be the primary radar for self-defense and situational awareness and the backup radar for ATC. This solicitation will address the EASR EMD phase and production.

NAVSEA intends to award one cost plus incentive fee base contract with fixed-price incentive firm target options for Variant 1 and 2 production, non-recurring engineering effort for Variant 1 and 2 EASR transition to production, first article testing, and physical configuration audit, firm fixed-price options for data rights, cost only options for Variant 1

and 2 long lead material, options for cost-plusfixed-fee engineering services, field engineering services, and production engineering services with cost only travel support via full and open competition. Primary point of contact: John Butto, john.butto@navy.mil, (202) 781-2594

U.S. Warships Help Ensure Maritime Security in Arabian Sea The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the guidedmissile cruiser USS Normandy are now operating in the Arabian Sea in response to the deteriorating security situation in Yemen, a Defense Department spokesman said April 21. Briefing the Pentagon press corps, Army Colonel Steve Warren said the U.S. warships “are operating [in the Arabian Sea] with a very clear mission to ensure that shipping lanes remain open, to ensure there’s freedom of navigation through those critical waterways and to help ensure maritime security.” On April 19, the Roosevelt, escorted by the Normandy, transited the Strait of Hormuz from its station in the Arabian Gulf

to the Arabian Sea, according to a recent release from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs. The Roosevelt and the Normandy have joined other U.S. forces conducting maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb and the Southern Red Sea, the release said. Situation in Yemen In January, Houthi militiamen took over the presidential palace in Sanaa, and shortly afterward President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi resigned and ultimately fled to Aden, according to press reports, leaving the rebel group from Northern Yemen in charge of the capital.

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

The Houthis represent the country’s Zaidi sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam. Near the end of March, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition began launching air strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. During his first official press briefing on April 16, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the United States is helping Saudi Arabia “protect their own territory and conduct operations … designed to lead ultimately to a political settlement in Yemen. That is our understanding and our objective.” U.S. Sea Power in the Gulf of Aden The Defense Department also is watching a convoy of nine Iranian cargo ships now in

international waters in the Gulf of Aden, Warren said. According to news reports, the ships may be trying to deliver arms to support the Houthi rebels in Yemen. “They have not declared their intentions or [indicated] what they're going to do,” Warren said. “At this point [the ships] have demonstrated no … threat.” He added that having American sea power close by will allow the United States to keep a close eye on the cargo ships. “By having U.S. ships in the region,” Warren said, “we … preserve options should the security situation deteriorate to the point where there is a problem or a threat to freedom of navigation or to the shipping lanes or to overall maritime security.”

PLA Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Strategic Role for National Interests and Safety (The following is from China Military Online) The Navy, a strategic branch of the Chinese Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liberation Army (PLA), was founded on April 23, 1949. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government have attached great importance to the Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission (CMC), the Navy has progressed along with the advancement of the nation. With the rapid elevation of the overall national strengths of China, the Navy has been making great strides in its development. Today, the PLA Navy has developed into a strategic, comprehensive and international military force with both nuclear and conventional combat capabilities. It is composed of the submarines, surface ships, aviation troops, Marine Corps, and shore defense wings. It has become an important strategic tool for maintaining state sovereignty, national dignity, state security and development interests, and is a resolute force for maintaining world peace. Currently, the PLA Navy has 235,000 officers and soldiers. It has three fleets, namely the North China Sea Fleet, the East China Sea Fleet and the South China Sea Fleet. Each fleet consists of fleet aviation, bases, flotillas, maritime garrison commands, aviation divisions and Marine Corps brigades. The PLA Navy follows the military strategy of active defense and engages in active defense at sea in line with the strategic requirements of offshore defense. Its mandate involves seven key missions: maintaining state unity and territorial integrity; withstanding military invasion from the sea; defending sovereignty of islands and territorial waters and maritime interests of the state; protecting maritime traffic lines; supporting maritime economic development; safeguarding maritime production and personnel; maintaining overseas rights and interests of the state, citizens and overseas compatriots; and maintaining regional and world peace. Regular Readiness Patrol The PLA Navy focuses on maintaining state territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and this requires constantly being on alert and thus needs readiness practice.

In accordance with the principles of effective force-employment, systematic patrol and whole-area monitoring, it organizes and conducts regular readiness patrols to maintain a constant presence in certain areas. Each fleet keeps a certain amount of vessels and aircraft to routinely patrol areas under their jurisdiction throughout the year and organizes mobile forces to patrol and guard certain areas when necessary. Tactical Combat Drills and Training The PLA Navy has been taking tactical combat drills and training as the basis for transforming its military training system and improving the level of combat effectiveness of the force. It extensively tests combat concepts in simulated conditions with detailed information to reflect real situations into the practice of training; this includes being focused on information and intelligence, systematic confrontation, precision operations, fusion and integration, winning through a united effort and so forth. The PLA Navy organizes exercise and training as per the requirements of real combat, wartime force groupings and the operational flow of combat; it emphasizes command-in-confrontation training, real-force autonomous confrontation training and training in complex battlefield environments to improve the overall systematic combat effectiveness of

the force based on the concept of informationbased warfare. In recent years, the Navy has continued to explore training modes that involve open sea combat task groups by organizing open sea training programs for task groups composed of new kinds of destroyers, frigates, amphibious landing ships, fast combat support ships and ship-borne helicopters. It has deepened studies and training on mission subjects in complex battlefield environments, which emphasizes training in important contexts such as remote early-warning, comprehensive control, open sea interception, long-range raids, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) in open sea, long-range escort, etc. Since 2007, the PLA Navy has organized more than 30 open sea trainings in the west Pacific region with more than 100 practice rounds. Protecting Maritime Interests It is an important duty of the PLA Navy to resolutely maintain the maritime interests of the state. The PLA Navy provides safety support for maritime law-enforcement, fishing vessels and oil- and-gas exploitation projects alongside its readiness operations. It has also established a coordination and cooperation mechanism with the Chinese Coast Guard. The navy-policecivilian joint defense mechanism has been established and improved.

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

In coordination with certain civil departments, the PLA Navy also carries out maritime survey and scientific research, constructing a maritime meteorological monitoring system, satellite navigation system, radio navigation system and a navigational aid system that can issue timely information on weather and shipping conditions. It has also established and improved a navigation safety support system in areas under its surveillance. The Chinese navy has held joint maritime law enforcement exercises and drills with the Chinese Coast Guard and has constantly improved the military-civil maritime joint operations to enhance its command, coordination and emergency response capabilities. In October 2012, a total of 11 ships and eight aircraft participated in a comprehensive exercise called “the East China Sea cooperation – 2012,” a joint maritime exercise to safeguard maritime rights in the East China Sea. Protecting Overseas Interests Overseas operations, such as escorting merchant vessels, evacuations and emergency disaster relief are an important way for the PLA Navy to protect the state interests and to fulfill its international obligations. For example, in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and with the consent of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, the Chinese government dispatched a PLA Navy task force on December 26, 2008, to the Gulf of Aden and the Somali waters for an escort mission. The primary mission of this task force is to protect the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel transiting through this area, protect the safety of vessels carrying humanitarian supplies chartered by World Food Program (WFP) and other international organizations and provide cover for foreign vessels transiting through this area. As of April 10, 2015, the PLA Navy has dispatched more than 50 support missions and more than 30 helicopter missions in 20 task groups, which have provided escort for almost 6,000 vessels bearing both Chinese and foreign flags, covered or rescued 11 vessels released by pirates or being attacked by pirates, and rescued 43 vessels from pirate hijack attempts in 32 different incidents. In February 2011, the PLA Navy dispatched FFG Xuzhou to Libyan waters to provide support and protection for vessels

evacuating Chinese personnel stranded in Libya. International Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Medical Services The PLA Navy proactively carries out medical services and assistance in foreign countries and participated in international medical exchanges and cooperation to improve friendship and mutual trust with various countries. The PLA Navy hospital ship “The Peace Ark” has conducted medical service tasks as part of the “Mission Harmony” series abroad, during which it provided free medical service to nearly 80,000 people in 22 countries. Besides that, it also participated in important events such as the ASEAN Defense Minister Plus Meeting-Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise (ADMM-HADR&MM Exercise), the multinational joint round visits at Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, the humanitarian medical aid for the earthquake-hit Philippines and the world’s largest naval exercise known as the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) in 2014. Maintaining the Safety of International Maritime Channels The PLA Navy fulfills its international obligations through regular escort operations in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. Through exchanges and cooperation, it has maintained the safety of international maritime channels together with escort-forces of other countries. As of October 10, 2010, the PLA Navy Escort Task Force has escorted eight World Food Programme (WFP) vessels and more

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

than 2,700 foreign ships, assisted five foreign vessels and rescued 20 foreign vessels during 15 separate incidents of pirate hijack attempts. The PLA Navy has established a good communication mechanism with various navies to conduct joint escort operations, share information and coordinate liaison efforts. It has conducted joint escorts together with Russian naval ships, carried out joint exercises with South Korea, Pakistan and U.S. naval vessels, and coordinated with the EU when escorting WFP vessels; it has organized cross-deck visits between commanding officers with escort forces from EU, NATO, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), South Korea and Singapore; it has exchanged officers for onboard observation with a Dutch naval ship; and it also actively participates in international mechanisms such as CGPCS (Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia) and SHADE (Shared Awareness and De-conflict). From February to July 2014, the PLA Navy dispatched ships to escort vessels carrying chemical weapons out of Syria. Joint Exercises and Training with Other Navies In recent years, the PLA Navy has participated in the Maritime Coalition series of exercises with Russia, conducted the Blue Strike series of joint trainings with the Royal Thai Marine Corps, and taken part in the Peace series of multilateral maritime joint exercises hosted by Pakistan. In June 2014, the PLA Navy sent a task group to participate in the world’s largest

naval exercise, RIMPAC 2014 led by the U.S. Navy near Hawaii. The PLA Navy also avails opportunities such as cross-deck visits and escort operations in the Gulf of Aden to conduct bilateral or multilateral exercises with Indian, French, British, Australian, Thai, U.S., Russian, New Zealand and Vietnamese navies in areas such as communication, formation maneuvers, replenishment at sea, cross-deck landing of helicopters, anti-surface firing, joint escort, visit, board, search and seizure operations (VBSS), joint search and rescue, diving, etc. Five Major Wings of the PLA Navy: The Submarine Force The submarine force is an important underwater assault force and an important arm that has contributed to the development of the PLA Navy. The submarine force is equipped with strategic missile nuclear submarines, attack nuclear submarines and conventional submarines. It is organized into submarine bases and submarine flotillas. After more than 60 years of building, the submarine force has developed into a strong underwater assault force with both conventional and nuclear submarines. The submarines’ stealth, underwater endurance and ability to survive have been remarkably improved; their underwater penetration capabilities have been greatly

enhanced; the number and total displacement have remarkably increased; it has achieved the transformation from a force focused on increasing its numbers to one that is now more oriented towards increasing its quality and combat effectiveness. Five Major Wings of the PLA Navy: The Surface Force The surface force is an important combat force at sea. Currently, the three fleets of the PLA Navy have dozens of destroyer flotillas, landing ship flotillas, risk avoidance and life-saving flotillas and combat support ship flotillas. There are hundreds of ships above Grade III, with the total tonnage now more than five times that of the 1980s. The onboard weapons systems in these new warships have been upgraded and modernized. Modern warships have also created the opportunity to utilize a large number of new methods of training and combat. Now, it has become routine to train in open seas and the level of training has been elevated every year, and the comprehensive combat capabilities have been remarkably improved. Five Major Wings of the PLA Navy: The Aviation Force The aviation force is an important component of a modern navy.

With the commissioning of the thirdgeneration fighter planes, the aviation force has made great improvement in its emergency maneuvers, ship-aircraft coordination, air combat, low-level penetration and in its long-range attack and precision strike capabilities. All fighter groups are capable of carrying out maneuver and combat tasks out of their defense area; all pilots on readiness duty have undergone real missile-firing training. All the above indicates that the overall combat capabilities of the naval aviation force in the high-tech conditions have reached a new level. Five Major Wings of the PLA Navy: The Marine Corps The Marine Corps is a fast assault force for amphibious operations. A well-trained marine can operate not only equipment such as infantry automatic weapons, amphibious tanks, amphibious armored transportation vehicles, self-propelled artillery of various calibers and anti-tank missiles but also special operations weapons. With the commissioning of new amphibious tanks, armored vehicles and special operations equipment, the combat effectiveness of the Marine Corps has been elevated overall. Their capabilities have been demonstrated in various PLA-level and PLAN-level exercises and joint exercises with foreign armed forces. They are true to their motto of being like “a tiger on land and a dragon at sea.” Five Major Wings of the PLA Navy: The Shore Defense Force The shore defense force is deployed at important shore areas and participates in defense operations along the shore. Equipped with new-generation shore-tosurface missiles that have stronger penetrating capabilities, higher levels of intelligence, longer range and stronger anti-jamming capabilities, the shore defense force has gradually become a new service that is both capable of important area/offshore air defense and can effectively support other services when launching attacks. (Editor’s Question: Based on this overview, do you think the Chinese ship and submarine fleet mix match with their strategy? If you have any responses, please email them to jonathanm@kmimediagroup.com)

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress ➥ Continued From pAGE 1 part of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). Under the arrangement, GD/ EB builds certain parts of each boat, NNS builds certain other parts of each boat, and the yards take turns building the reactor compartments and performing final assembly of the boats. GD/EB is building the reactor compartments and performing final assembly on boats 1, 3 and so on, while NNS is doing so on boats 2, 4 and so on. The arrangement results in a roughly 50-50 division of Virginia-class profits between the two yards and preserves both yards’ ability to build submarine reactor compartments (a key capability for a submarine-construction yard) and perform submarine final-assembly work.

Cost-Reduction Effort The Navy states that it achieved a goal of reducing the procurement cost of Virginia-class submarines so that two boats could be procured in FY2012 for combined cost of $4.0 billion in constant FY2005 dollars—a goal referred to as “2 for 4 in 12.” Achieving this goal involved removing about $400 million (in constant FY2005 dollars) from the cost of each submarine. (The Navy calculates that the unit target cost of $2.0 billion in constant FY2005 dollars for each submarine translates into about $2.6 billion for a boat procured in FY2012.)

Virginia Payload Module (VPM) The Navy plans to build Virginia-class boats procured in FY2019 and subsequent years (i.e., the anticipated Block V and beyond boats) with an additional mid-body section, called the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The VPM, reportedly about 70 feet in length (earlier design concepts for the VPM were reportedly about 94 feet in length), contains four largediameter, vertical launch tubes that would be used to store and fire additional Tomahawk cruise missiles or other payloads, such as large-diameter unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The four additional launch tubes in the VPM could carry a total of 28 additional Tomahawk cruise missiles (seven per tube), which would increase the total number of torpedo-sized weapons (such as Tomahawks) carried by the Virginia class design from about 37 to about 65—an increase of about 76 percent. The Navy wants to start building Virginia-class boats with the VPM in FY2019. The Navy’s FY2016 five-year shipbuilding plan calls for building one of the two Virginia-class boats to be procured in FY2019, and one of the two Virginia-class boats to be procured in FY2020, with the VPM. Building Virginia-class boats with the VPM would compensate for a sharp loss in submarine force weapon-carrying capacity that will occur with the retirement in FY2026-FY2028 of the Navy’s four Ohio-class cruise missile/special operations forces support submarines (SSGNs). Each SSGN is equipped with 24 large-diameter vertical launch tubes, of which 22 can be used to carry up to seven Tomahawks each, for a maximum of 154 vertically launched Tomahawks per boat, or 616 vertically launched Tomahawks for the four boats. Twenty-two Virginia-class boats built with VPMs could carry 616 Tomahawks in their VPMs. The Navy in 2013 estimated that adding the VPM would increase the procurement cost of the Virginia-class design by $350 million in current dollars, or by about 13 percent.

The joint explanatory statement for the FY2014 DoD Appropriations Act (Division C of H.R. 3547/P.L. 113-76 of January 17, 2014) requires the Navy to submit biannual reports to the congressional defense committees describing the actions the Navy is taking to minimize costs for the VPM. At a February 25, 2015, hearing before the Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, Sean Stackley, the assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (i.e., the Navy’s acquisition executive), stated that the Navy is examining the feasibility of accelerating the procurement of the first VPM-equipped Virginia-class boat from FY2019 to an earlier year.

FY2016 Funding Request The Navy estimates the combined procurement cost of the two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2016 at $5,376.9 million or an average of $2,688.4 million each. The boats have received a total of $1,613.5 million in prior-year advance procurement (AP) funding and $416.9 million in prior-year Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding. The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget requests the remaining $3,346.4 million needed to complete the boats’ estimated combined procurement cost. The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget also requests $1,663.8 million in AP funding and $330.0 million in EOQ funding for Virginia-class boats to be procured in future fiscal years, bringing the total FY2016 funding request for the program (excluding outfitting and post-delivery costs) to $5,340.1 million. The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget also requests $167.7 million in research and development funding for the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The funding is contained in Program Element (PE) 0604580N, entitled Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which is line 123 in the Navy’s FY2016 research and development account.

Submarine Construction Industrial Base In addition to GD/EB and NNS, the submarine construction industrial base includes scores of supplier firms, as well as laboratories and research facilities, in numerous states. Much of the total material procured from supplier firms for the construction of submarines comes from single or sole source suppliers. Observers in recent years have expressed concern for the continued survival of many of these firms. For nuclear-propulsion component suppliers, an additional source of stabilizing work is the Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier construction program. In terms of work provided to these firms, a carrier nuclear propulsion plant is roughly equivalent to five submarine propulsion plants. Much of the design and engineering portion of the submarine construction industrial base is resident at GD/EB. Smaller portions are resident at NNS and some of the component makers. Several years ago, some observers expressed concern about the Navy’s plans for sustaining the design and engineering portion of the submarine construction industrial base. These concerns appear to have receded, in large part because of the Navy’s plan to design and procure a next-generation ballistic missile submarine called the Ohio Replacement Program or SSBN(X).

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

Projected SSN Shortfall

2006 Navy Study on Options for Mitigating Projected Shortfall

Size and Timing of Shortfall The Navy’s FY2016 30-year SSN procurement plan, if implemented, would not be sufficient to maintain a force of 48 SSNs consistently over the long run. As shown in Table 2, the Navy projects under the plan that the SSN force would fall below 48 boats starting in FY2025, reach a minimum of 41 boats in FY2029, and remain below 48 boats through FY2036. Since the Navy plans to retire the four SSGNs by 2028 without procuring any replacements for them, no SSGNs would be available in 2028 and subsequent years to help compensate for a drop in SSN force level below 48 boats. The projected SSN shortfall was first identified by CRS in 1995 and has been discussed in CRS reports and testimony every year since then. Table 2. Projected SSN Shortfall As shown in Navy’s FY2016 30-Year (FY2016-FY2045) Shipbuilding Plan Shortfall relative to 48-boat goal Number Percent of ships

Fiscal year

Annual procurement quantity

Projected number of SSNs

-1

-2%

-3

-6%

-4

-8%

-6

-13%

-7

-15%

-6

-13%

-5

-10%

-5

-10%

-4

-8%

-3

-6%

-2

-4%

-1

-2%

-1

-2%

-1

-2%

-1

-2%

-1

-2%

The Navy in 2006 initiated a study on options for mitigating the projected SSN shortfall. The study was completed in early 2007 and briefed to CRS and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on May 22, 2007. At the time of the study, the SSN force was projected to bottom out at 40 boats and then recover to 48 boats by the early 2030s. Principal points in the Navy study (which cite SSN force-level projections as understood at that time) include the following: • The day-to-day requirement for deployed SSNs is 10, meaning that, on average, a total of 10 SSNs are to be deployed on a day-to-day basis. • The peak projected wartime demand is about 35 SSNs deployed within a certain amount of time. This figure includes both the 10 SSNs that are to be deployed on a day-to-day basis and 25 additional SSNs surged from the United States within a certain amount of time. • Reducing Virginia-class shipyard construction time to 60 months— something that the Navy already plans to do as part of its strategy for meeting the Virginia-class cost-reduction goal (see earlier discussion on cost-reduction goal)—will increase the size of the SSN force by two boats, so that the force would bottom out at 42 boats rather than 40. • If, in addition to reducing Virginia-class shipyard construction time to 60 months, the Navy also lengthens the service lives of 16 existing SSNs by periods ranging from three months to 24 months (with many falling in the range of nine to 15 months), this would increase the size of the SSN force by another two boats, so that the force would bottom out at 44 boats rather than 40 boats. The total cost of extending the lives of the 16 boats would be roughly $500 million in constant FY2005 dollars. • The resulting force that bottoms out at 44 boats could meet the 10.0 requirement for day-to-day deployed SSNs throughout the 2020-2033 period if, as an additional option, about 40 SSN deployments occurring in the eight-year period 2025-2032 were lengthened from six months to seven months. These 40 or so lengthened deployments would represent about one-quarter of all the SSN deployments that would take place during the eight-year period. • The resulting force that bottoms out at 44 boats could not meet the peak projected wartime demand of about 35 SSNs deployed within a certain amount of time. The force could generate a total deployment of 32 SSNs within the time in question—three boats (or about 8.6 percent) less than the 35-boat figure. Lengthening SSN deployments from six months to seven months would not improve the force’s ability to meet the peak projected wartime demand of about 35 SSNs deployed within a certain amount of time. • To meet the 35-boat figure, an additional four SSNs beyond those planned by the Navy would need to be procured. Procuring four additional SSNs would permit the resulting 48-boat force to surge an additional three SSNs within the time in question, so that the force could meet the peak projected wartime demand of about 35 SSNs deployed within a certain amount of time. • Procuring one to four additional SSNs could also reduce the number of seven-month deployments that would be required to meet the 10.0 requirement for day-to-day deployed SSNs during the period 2025-2032. Procuring one additional SSN would reduce the number of seven-month deployments during this period to about 29; procuring two additional SSNs would reduce it to about 17, procuring three additional SSNs would reduce it to about seven, and procuring four additional SSNs would reduce it to two.

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

The Navy added a number of caveats to these results, including but not limited to the following: • The requirement for 10.0 SSNs deployed on a day-to-day basis is a current requirement that could change in the future. • The peak projected wartime demand of about 35 SSNs deployed within a certain amount of time is an internal Navy figure that reflects recent analyses of potential future wartime requirements for SSNs. Subsequent analyses of this issue could result in a different figure. • The identification of 19 SSNs as candidates for service life extension reflects current evaluations of the material condition of these boats and projected use rates for their nuclear fuel cores. If the material condition of these boats years from now turns out to be worse than the Navy currently projects, some of them might no longer be suitable for service life extension. In addition, if world conditions over the next several years require these submarines to use up their nuclear fuel cores more quickly than the Navy now projects, then the amounts of time that their service lives might be extended could be reduced partially, to zero, or to less than zero (i.e., the service lives of the boats, rather than being extended, might need to be shortened). • The analysis does not take into account potential rare events, such as accidents, that might force the removal an SSN from service before the end of its expected service life. • Seven-month deployments might affect retention rates for submarine personnel.

Issues for Congress Virginia-Class Procurement Rate More Generally in Coming Years One potential issue for Congress concerns the Virginia-class procurement rate in coming years, particularly in the context of the SSN shortfall projected for FY2025-FY2036 shown in Table 2 and the larger debate over future U.S. defense strategy and defense spending.

Mitigating Projected SSN Shortfall In addition to lengthening SSN deployments to seven months and extending the service lives of existing SSNs by periods ranging from three months to 24 months (see “2006 Navy Study on Options for Mitigating Projected Shortfall” above), options for more fully mitigating the projected SSN shortfall include: • refueling a small number of (perhaps one to five) existing SSNs and extending their service lives by 10 years or more, and • putting additional Virginia-class boats into the 30-year shipbuilding plan. It is not clear whether it would be feasible or cost-effective to refuel existing SSNs and extend their service lives by 10 or more years, given factors such as limits on submarine pressure hull life.

Larger Debate on Defense Strategy and Defense Spending Some observers—particularly those who propose reducing U.S. defense spending as part of an effort to reduce the federal budget deficit— have recommended that the SSN force-level goal be reduced to something less than 48 boats, and/or that Virginia-class procurement be reduced. A June 2010 report from a group called the Sustainable Defense Task Force

recommends a Navy of 230 ships, including 37 SSNs, and a September 2010 report from the Cato Institute recommends a Navy of 241 ships, including 40 SSNs. Both reports recommend limiting Virginia-class procurement to one boat per year, as does a September 2010 report from the Center for American Progress. A November 2010 report from a group called the Debt Reduction Task Force recommends “deferring” Virginiaclass procurement. The November 2010 draft recommendations of the co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission include recommendations for reducing procurement of certain weapon systems; the Virginia-class program is not among them. Other observers have recommended that the SSN force-level goal should be increased to something higher than 48 boats, particularly in light of Chinese naval modernization. The July 2010 report of an independent panel that assessed the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR)—an assessment that is required by the law governing QDRs (10 U.S.C. 118)—recommends a Navy of 346 ships, including 55 SSNs. An April 2010 report from the Heritage Foundation recommends a Navy of 309 ships, including 55 SSNs. Factors to consider in assessing whether to maintain, increase or reduce the SSN force-level goal and/or planned Virginia-class procurement include but are not limited to the federal budget and debt situation, the value of SSNs in defending U.S. interests and implementing U.S. national security strategy, and potential effects on the submarine industrial base. As discussed earlier, Virginia-class boats scheduled for procurement in FY2014 are covered under an MYP contract for the period FY2014FY2018. This MYP contract includes the procurement of two Virginiaclass boats in FY2016. If fewer than two boats were procured in FY2016, the Navy might need to terminate the MYP contract and pay a cancellation penalty to the contractor.

Accelerating Start of VPM Procurement Another potential issue for Congress is whether to accelerate the procurement of the first VPM-equipped Virginia-class boat from FY2019 to an earlier year. As discussed above, the Navy testified on February 25, 2015, that it is examining the feasibility this option.

Legislative Activity for FY2016 FY2016 Funding Request The Navy estimates the combined procurement cost of the two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2016 at $5,376.9 million or an average of $2,688.4 million each. The boats have received a total of $1,613.5 million in prior-year advance procurement (AP) funding and $416.9 million in prior-year Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding. The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget requests the remaining $3,346.4 million needed to complete the boats’ estimated combined procurement cost. The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget also requests $1,663.8 million in AP funding and $330.0 million in EOQ funding for Virginia-class boats to be procured in future fiscal years, bringing the total FY2016 funding request for the program (excluding outfitting and post-delivery costs) to $5,340.1 million. The Navy’s proposed FY2016 budget also requests $167.7 million in research and development funding for the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The funding is contained in Program Element (PE) 0604580N, entitled Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which is line 123 in the Navy’s FY2016 research and development account.

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

Nuclear Weapons Safety and Security ➥ Continued From pAGE 1 formal inspections and continuous on-site monitoring and reporting at the Strategic Weapons Facilities. Technical evaluations, formal inspections and on-site monitoring at the Strategic Weapons Facilities provide periodic and day-to-day assessment and oversight. Biannual assessments evaluate the ability of the organization to self-assess the execution of the assigned strategic weapons mission and compliance with requirements. The assessments leverage information gained from these oversight activities. The results of these biannual assessments are critically and independently reviewed through the Navy Nuclear Weapons Assessment and provided to the secretary of the Navy and the Chief Naval Officer. We also strive to maintain a culture of excellence to achieve the highest standards of performance and integrity for personnel supporting the strategic deterrent mission. We continue to focus on the custody and accountability of the nuclear assets that have been entrusted to the Navy. SSP’s number one priority is to maintain a safe, secure and effective strategic deterrent. D5 Life Extension Program The next priority is SSP’s life-extension efforts to ensure the Trident II (D5) SWS remains an effective and reliable sea-based deterrent. The Trident II (D5) SWS continues to demonstrate itself as a credible deterrent and exceeds the operational requirements established for the system more than 30 years ago. The submarine leg of the U.S. strategic deterrent is ready, credible and effective, thereby assuring our allies and partners and deterring potential adversaries. However, we must remain vigilant about age-related issues to ensure a continued high level of reliability. The Trident II (D5) SWS has been deployed on our Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines for 25 years and is planned for a service life of 50 years. This is well beyond its original design life of 25 years and more than double the historical service life of any previous sea-based strategic deterrent system. As a result, effort will be required to sustain credible SWS from now until the end of the current Ohio-class SSBN in the 2040s, as well as the end of the service life of the Ohio Replacement SSBN in the 2080s.

The Navy is proactively taking steps to address aging and technology obsolescence. SSP is extending the life of the Trident II (D5) SWS to match the Ohio-class submarine service life and to serve as the initial baseline mission payload for the Ohio Replacement submarine platform. This is being accomplished through an update to all the Trident II (D5) SWS subsystems: launcher, navigation, fire control, guidance, missile and reentry. Our flight hardware—missile and guidance— life-extension efforts are designed to meet the same form, fit and function of the original system to keep the deployed system as one homogeneous population, control costs, and sustain the demonstrated performance of the system. We will remain in continuous production of large energetic components such as solid rocket motors and Post Boost Control System Gas Generators, and are starting an age management replacement effort for missile small ordnance and control components. We have also started initial planning on the timing of when a follow-on to Trident II (D5) will be needed. These efforts will provide the Navy with the missiles and guidance systems we need to meet operational requirements through the introduction and deployment of the Ohio Replacement SSBNs through the 2080s. While budgetary pressures and impacts of sequestration have resulted in some deferred or delayed efforts, strategic deterrence remains the Navy’s highest priority. As such, the Navy is committed to minimizing, to the maximum extent possible, impacts to this program in order to meet strategic requirements. One impacted effort is the change to our flight test program. In accordance with Strategic Command (STRATCOM) requirements, the Navy is required to flight test a minimum of four Trident II (D5) missiles per year in a tactically representative environment. The purpose of flight testing is to detect any change in reliability or accuracy. The FY 2016 budget request reflects a reduction of one planned flight test for affordability. The Navy has coordinated with STRATCOM to determine that this temporary reduction is manageable in the short-term, contingent upon our plan to ramp back up to four flight tests per year later in the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP). A prolonged reduction beyond what is planned in FY 2016 would

impact our ability to detect changes in reliability and accuracy of an aging system with the required degree of statistical confidence to meet STRATCOM requirements. I am strongly committed to ensure our flight testing returns to four flight tests per year. Despite budgetary pressures, the Navy’s D5 life extension program remains on track. In June 2014, the USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) successfully conducted her Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO 25) by launching two missiles. One missile marked the third flight test of the D5 life-extended (LE) guidance system and the second flight test of the D5 LE Command Sequencer. The second missile was the first flight of the D5 LE Flight Controls Electronics Assembly and Interlocks packages. Additionally, the first flight test of the D5 LE guidance system with the D5 LE Flight Controls Electronics Assembly and Interlocks packages is scheduled for DASO 26 in FY 2016. The D5 LE Command Sequencer met its initial fleet introduction earlier this year. The life-extension efforts for the remaining electronics packages are on budget and on schedule. The life-extended missiles will be available for initial fleet introduction in FY 2017. Another major step to ensure the continued sustainment of our SWS is the SSP Shipboard Integration (SSI) Programs, which address obsolescence management and modernization of SWS shipboard systems through the use of open architecture design and commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software. The first increment of this update was installed on the final U.S. SSBN in April of last year. This completed installation on all 14 U.S. SSBNs, all four UK SSBNs and all U.S. and UK land-based facilities. Subsequent increments of this program begin installation this summer. The SSI Program includes refreshes of shipboard electronics hardware and software upgrades, which will extend service life, enable more efficient and affordable future maintenance of the SWS and ensure we continue to provide the highest level of nuclear weapons safety and security for our deployed SSBNs while meeting STRATCOM requirements. To sustain the Trident II (D5) SWS, SSP is extending the life of the W76 reentry system through a refurbishment program known as the W76-1. The W76-1 refurbishment maintains the military capability of the original

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

W76 for an additional 30 years. This program, which is being executed in partnership with the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has completed over 50 percent of the planned warhead production. The Navy will continue to work with NNSA to closely monitor production and deliveries to ensure there are no operational impacts. In addition, the Navy continues the design work to refurbish the aging electronics in the W88 reentry system. The Navy is collaborating with the Air Force to reduce costs through shared subsystems suitable for the W88/Mk5 and the W87/Mk21. Additionally, the Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) has approved the inclusion of conventional high-explosive refurbishment as part of this effort, which will support deployment of the W88/Mk5 into the early 2040s. As directed by the NWC, we have submitted funding requests to support the initial concept studies (6.2/6.2A) for an Interoperable Warhead (IW) to begin in 2020. The Navy believes that the NWC is effective at managing and identifying priorities for the nuclear weapons stockpile. Moreover, the Navy is fully represented at the NWC and has every opportunity to raise any issues directly with the NWC when necessary. Therefore, I do not recommend a separate service vote at the NWC. Ohio Replacement Program The Navy’s highest priority acquisition program is the Ohio Replacement Program, which replaces the existing Ohio-class submarines. The continued assurance of our seabased strategic deterrent requires a credible SWS, as well as the development of the next class of ballistic missile submarines. The Navy is taking the necessary steps to ensure the Ohio Replacement SSBN is designed, built, delivered and tested on time with the right capabilities at an affordable cost. To lower development costs and leverage the proven reliability of the Trident II (D5) SWS, the Ohio Replacement SSBN will enter service with the Trident II (D5) SWS and D5 LE missiles onboard. These D5 LE missiles will be shared with the existing Ohio-class submarine until the current Ohio-class retires. Maintaining one SWS during the transition to the Ohioclass Replacement is beneficial from a cost, performance and risk-reduction standpoint. A program to support long-term SWS requirements will have to be developed in the future to support the Ohio-class Replacement SSBN through its entire service life.

The Navy continues to leverage from the Virginia-class program to implement lessons learned and ensure the Ohio Replacement Program pursues affordability initiatives across design, construction and life cycle operations and support. Several critical milestones and decisions were achieved by the SSBN design team as they progress the design of the Ohio Replacement. Maintaining the pace of design and submarine industrial capability is critical to the continued success of our sea-based strategic deterrent now and well into the 2080s. A critical component of the Ohio Replacement Program is the development of a Common Missile Compartment (CMC) that will support Trident II (D5) deployment on both the Ohio-class Replacement and the successor to the UK Vanguard class. As the United Kingdom will be the first to test, launch and deploy the Trident II (D5) system in a CMC, the U.S.-led design team is progressing at pace to support the UK Successor lead ship construction timeline. In 2014, the United States contracted for the first joint procurement of missile tubes to support building the U.S. prototype Quad-pack module, the Strategic Weapons System–Ashore (SWS Ashore) test site, and the United Kingdom’s first SSBN. The joint CMC effort is shifting from design to construction that will support production in both U.S.

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

and UK build yards. Any delay to the common missile compartment effort has the potential to impact the United Kingdom’s ability to maintain a continuous at sea deterrent posture. To manage and mitigate technical risk to both the U.S. and UK programs, SSP is leading the development of SWS Ashore integration test site at Cape Canaveral, Fla. This is a joint effort with the Navy and the State of Florida investing in the re-development of a Polaris site to conduct integration testing and verification for Ohio Replacement and UK Successor programs. Refurbishment of the Polaris site and construction of the infrastructure and building is proceeding at a rapid pace. Trident II (D5), Ohio-class and Ohio Replacement new design hardware will be colocated and integrated to prove the successful re-host and redeployment of the Trident II (D5) SWS on the new submarines. To mitigate the restart of launch system production, SSP recently broke ground on a surface launch facility at the Naval Air Station, China Lake, Calif. This facility will prove that the launcher industrial base can replicate the performance of the Ohio Class Trident II (D5) launch system. We will be launching the refurbished Trident II (D5) test shapes we used in the 1980s starting in FY 2017. Launch performance is a critical factor we must understand at the systems

level to ensure we maintain high reliability as we transition the weapon system to the next class of SSBNs. The United States and the United Kingdom have maintained a shared commitment to nuclear deterrence through the Polaris Sales Agreement since April 1963. As the director of SSP, I am the U.S. project officer for the Polaris Sales Agreement. Our programs are tightly coupled both programmatically and technically to ensure we are providing the most costeffective, technically capable nuclear strategic deterrent for both nations. Last year marked the 51st anniversary of this agreement, and I am pleased to report that our longstanding partnership with the United Kingdom remains strong. The United States will continue to maintain its strong strategic relationship with the United Kingdom as we execute our Trident II (D5) LE Program and develop the common missile compartment. Our continued stewardship of the Trident II (D5) SWS is necessary to ensure a credible and reliable SWS is deployed today on our Ohio-class submarines, the UK Vanguard class, as well as in the future on our respective follow-on platforms. This is of particular importance as the New START Treaty reductions are implemented, increasing the reliance on the sea-based leg of the Triad. The Ohio Replacement will be a strategic, national asset whose endurance and stealth will enable the Navy to provide continuous, uninterrupted strategic deterrence well into the 2080s. Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) Industrial Base A priority is the importance of the defense and aerospace industrial base, in particular, the solid rocket motor industry. I remain concerned with the decline in demand for solid rocket motors. While the Navy is maintaining a continuous production capability at a minimum sustaining rate of 12 rocket motor sets per year, the demand from both NASA and Air Force has precipitously declined. Not only did this decline result in higher costs for the Navy, as practically a sole customer, it also put an entire specialized industry at risk for extinction, or at least on the “endangered species list.” To allow this puts our national security at risk. The Navy cannot afford to singularly carry this cost, nor can our nation afford to lose this capability. While the efforts of our industry partners and others have created short-term cost relief, the long-term support of the solid rocket motor industry remains an issue that must be addressed at the

national level. To date, this has not happened. At SSP, we will continue to work with our industry partners, DoD, senior NASA leadership, Air Force and Congress to do everything we can to ensure this vital national security industry asset is preserved. Nuclear Enterprise Review The recent secretary of defense-directed Nuclear Enterprise Review (NER) and the Program and Budget Review for the FY 2016 budget formulation focused significant attention on the recapitalization, sustainment, and modernization of our nuclear deterrence systems and infrastructure. The NER provided the Navy a thorough and unbiased look at our nuclear forces. Overall, the report found that the nuclear enterprise is safe, secure and effective today, but it also found evidence of systemic problems that, if not addressed, could undermine the safety, security and effectiveness of elements of the force in the future. Fortunately the Navy’s internal Nuclear Weapons Assessment and the SSP Comprehensive Self-Assessment identified most of the issues underscored during the NER. In fact, the report validated numerous efforts already under way. The Navy has taken active steps to address the more than 68 recommendations with Navy equity contained in the report. Significant action has been taken to implement each recommendation, generally focused on a few key areas, including: oversight, investment, and personnel and training improvements. These implementation actions have been funded with an additional budget request of $407 million in FY 2016 and $2.2 billion across the FYDP. With respect to oversight, the Navy is clarifying the nuclear deterrent enterprise leadership structure and reducing administrative burdens imposed on the forces. The Nuclear Deterrent Enterprise Group (NDERG), formed and led by the secretary of defense will provide regular oversight of the nuclear enterprise. The Navy Nuclear Weapons Oversight Council has become the Navy’s mechanism to ensure NDERG recommendations and guidance are properly implemented and that investments achieve the intended effect. Regarding training and personnel the Navy is planning a significant investment to build a margin in the deterrence force and clear the SSBN maintenance backlog. Some of the recommendations involve long-term cultural or organizational changes, and the Navy has matched the right

responsibilities with the right leaders. There will be an emphasis on the importance of the deterrence mission through updated vision statements, revised campaign plans, and methods to eliminate obstacles to enhance moral conduct and relieve the pressures on sailors, training and work-life balance. More specifically, the Navy will apply additional resources to Strategic Mission personnel with a planned $28 million and an increase of 44 full-time equivalents (FTEs) in FY 2016. In addition, 160 FTEs were added for the Strategic Weapons Facilities and Trident Training Facility to improve sustainment and training of the ballistic missile submarine force. The Navy has also planned a substantial increase in FTEs for the four Naval Public Shipyards. With an eventual target of 33,500 direct and reimbursable FTEs, the goal is to better match capacity with workload. In addition, some submarine maintenance will be outsourced to the private sector to ensure over capacity work does not result in deferred maintenance into the FYDP. Both of these actions result in an investment of $338 million with an overall planned FYDP investment of $1.1 billion. There will be accelerated infrastructure improvements and recapitalization plans to ensure long-term sustainment at shipyards and strategic weapons facilities. The Navy accelerated investment in the budget request for FY 2016 from a 17-year plan to a 15-year plan to improve the condition of the shipyards by adding $350 million across the FYDP. The Navy has also funded $324 million across the FYDP to address infrastructure issues at the strategic weapons facilities. Navy is developing a 20-year investment plan to ensure the continued reliability of critical infrastructure at these facilities to support nuclear weapons movement and operations. While the Navy has made significant progress through actions taken to date, we recognize much work remains to be accomplished. The Navy is confident we have the right emphasis, oversight and processes in place to maintain a credible, modern and safe sea-based deterrent. Navy Nuclear Regulatory Responsibility As a result of the Nuclear Enterprise Review the Navy implemented a centralized regulatory authority for nuclear force readiness. As the director, Strategic Systems Programs (DIRSSP), I now have accountability, responsibility and authority to serve as the single flag officer to monitor performance

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

and conduct end-to-end assessment of the Navy Nuclear Deterrence Mission (NNDM) elements. These responsibilities are defined in SECNAVINST 8120.1B and OPNAVINST 8120.1. Nine Echelon 2 level commands directly contribute to the NNDM: U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFLTFORCOM); U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT); Fleet Cyber Command (USFLTCYBERCOM); Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUPSYSCOM); Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEASYSCOM); Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP); Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC); and SSP. DIRSSP will be the NNDM regulatory authority responsible for assessing and reporting issues to the Navy Nuclear Weapons Council and the CNO. SSP is tasked with developing, coordinating and implementing policies approved by the CNO, and conducting end-to-end assessments of the Department of the Navy nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons systems and personnel for safe, reliable, and effective execution of the NNDM. SSP is engaged with the Echelon 2 commands defined above to understand their current reporting and assessment processes and to define the NNDM regulatory assessment policy. My next in-progress review for the CNO, April 2015, will define the existing reporting and engagement strategies, the status of our interaction with the commands, and present the initial component assessment and reporting. Collaboration with the Air Force The final priority is strategic collaboration between the services. The Navy and the Air Force are both addressing the challenges of sustaining aging strategic weapon systems and have begun to work collaboratively to ensure these capabilities are retained in the long term to meet our requirements. To do so, we are seeking opportunities to leverage technologies and make the best use of scarce resources. As I testified last year, the Navy and the Air Force established an Executive Steering Group to identify and investigate potential collaboration opportunities and oversee collaborative investments for sustainment of our strategic systems. As a part of this effort, technology area working groups are studying collaboration opportunities in the areas of Reentry Systems, Guidance, Strategic Propulsion, Command and Control, Radiation

Hardened Electronics, Testing and Surveillance and Nuclear Weapons Surety. The Navy was an active participant in the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) effort. Members of my staff were involved with this effort, which began during the GBSD Analysis of Alternatives (AoA). Navy subject matter experts supported each of the GBSD AoA working groups and participated in an effort to evaluate the benefits and potential risks of commonality and collaboration for each of the GBSD AoA options. Since the completion of the AoA, the Navy has continued to support the Air Force technical and programmatic efforts on GBSD including technology identification and requirements development. The benefits of increased collaboration between the services are many. However, commonality is required to actually save costs. Commonality will help improve the affordability of the nation’s strategic services by eliminating redundant efforts and by improving economic order quantities of key constituents and components. In addition to the benefits gained by improved economic order quantities, the use of common constituents and components will make it easier for the Navy and Air Force to sustain the critical skills and capabilities needed by stabilizing demand signals to suppliers. Finally these efforts allow the Navy and Air Force to leverage work already being done by the other service to avoid unnecessary duplication and costs. Each leg of the Triad has unique attributes. Furthermore, a sustained and ready Triad provides an effective hedge, allowing the nation to shift to another leg, if necessary

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

due to unforeseen technical problems or vulnerabilities. For this reason, the department is focused on cooperative efforts that maintain affordability and reduces risk to both services while retaining essential diversity where needed to ensure a credible and reliable deterrent. Many of the industries and required engineering skills sets are unique to strategic systems. Key to SSP’s historical success has been our technical applications programs, which in the past have provided a research and development foundation. As we evaluate maintaining this strategic capability until the 2080s to match the full service life of the Ohio Replacement submarine, we will need to resume these critical efforts. Conclusion SSP continues to maintain a safe, secure and effective strategic deterrent and focus on the custody and accountability of the nuclear assets entrusted to the Navy. Our PB-16 budget request ensures that we will sustain this capability in FY 2016. However, we must remain vigilant about unforeseen age-related issues to ensure the high reliability required of our SWS. SSP must maintain the engineering support and critical skills of our industry and government team to address any future challenges with the current system as well as prepare for the future of the program. Our nation’s sea-based deterrent has been a critical component of our national security since the 1950s and must continue to assure our allies and deter potential adversaries well into the future. I am privileged to represent this unique organization as we work to serve the best interests of our great nation.

Contract Awards

24 april

23 april

Compiled by KMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Media Group staff

DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pa., is being awarded a $15,513,814 firm-fixed-price, indefinitedelivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Common Display System (CDS) Technology Insertion 12 production. The CDS is a family of display systems which provides the Navy with an enterprise display solution on Navy surface ships with potential for U.S. Marine Corps and Allied forces use. CDS was initially developed to support DDG 1000 and Aegis Modernization, but has been expanded to all Aegis CGs and DDGs, CVNs, and amphibious ships to include LHAs and LSDs, and is being considered for use in Navy aircraft and submarines. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $96,300,000. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa., and is expected to be completed by April 2016. Fiscal 2015 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,831,148 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities

website, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-15-D-5210).

General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO), San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $31,773,194 modification to previously awarded costplus-incentive-fee contract (N0002413-C-4404) for USS America (LHA 6) fiscal 2015 post-shakedown availability. During a post-shakedown availability, NASSCO will repair or improve the design of the ship in preparation for final contractor trials. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by November 2015. Fiscal 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2015 other procurement (Navy) and fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $31,773,194 will be obligated at time of award. Funds in the amount of $9,553,086 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The

Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 22, 2015)

year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, Calif., is being awarded an $11,102,857 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-15-C-4205) for the production and maintenance of support kits for the AN/USQ-82(V) Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System. The contractor will provide ship sets for DDGs 119, 121 and 122 and maintenance support kits for DDGs 119, 121 and 122. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2016. Fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $11,102,857 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal

Tiger Natural Gas, Inc., Tulsa, Okla., has been awarded a maximum $14,782,044 fixed-price with economicprice-adjustment contract for direct supply natural gas deliveries. This contract was a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. This is a two-year base contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Oklahoma and New Mexico with a Sept. 30, 2017, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2015 multi-agency funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SPE600-15-D-7518).

Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Ore., is being awarded an $8,730,074 firmfixed-price contract for a 55-calendar day regular overhaul and drydocking availability of the USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200), a Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler. Work will include port main engine overhaul; docking, undocking, and underwater hull cleaning and painting; and cargo tank preservation. The primary mission of USNS Guadalupe is to provide fuel to Navy ships at sea and jet fuel to aircraft assigned to aircraft carriers. This contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $9,177,702. Work will be performed in Portland, Ore., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 1, 2015. Fiscal 2015 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of amount of $9,177,702 will be obligated at the time of award, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively

procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N32205-15-C-1005) Stronghold Engineering Inc., Riverside, Calif., is being awarded $7,377,218 for firm-fixed-price task order 0040 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-10-D-5483) for design and construction to repair the base-wide telephone and communication infrastructure cabling systems damaged by wildfires at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Work will be performed in Oceanside, Calif., and is expected to be completed by May 2016. Fiscal 2015 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $7,377,218 are being obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

www.navy-kmi.com | Navy News Weekly | April 28, 2015 |

Contract Awards

22 april

Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Mass., is being awarded an $89,094,388 firmfixed-price contract for 25 Submarine High Data Rate (SubHDR) antenna systems. The SubHDR antenna system is used to provide submarines with high-capacity communications in the extremely high-frequency and super high- frequency bands and enables reception of the global broadcast service. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (80 percent) and the government of the United Kingdom (20 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Massachusetts (37.84 percent); Florida (19.02 percent); New Jersey (17.02 percent); California (12.26 percent); New Hampshire (7.64 percent); Pennsylvania (3.38 percent); and Utah (2.84 percent), and work is expected to be completed by June 20, 2018. Fiscal 2014 and 2015 ship submersible nuclear funds in the amount of $35,563,190 will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;only one responsible source. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00039-15-C-0022). Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., (N61331-15-D-0013); EDO Corp., Panama City, Fla., (N6133115-D-0014); and Piping Systems International Inc., Bay Minette, Ala., (N61331-15-D-0015), are each being awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinitedelivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award supply contracts for the provision of hardware, materials and supplies to support the littoral and mine systems and science and technology programs. Examples of programs being supported include the Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasure Systems, Remote Minehunting Systems, unmanned maritime systems, mine warfare programs, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mission module integration, LCS fleet introduction and sustainment, sea frame construction,

MH-60 integration, acoustics, magnetics, electro-optics, signal processing, automatic target recognition and senor and data fusion. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and four option years, for all three contracts combined is $35,000,000 and the companies will compete for individual delivery orders. Work will be conducted in various Navy ship homeports and is expected to complete in April 2020. At time of award, Atlantic Diving Supply is being awarded a delivery order for $15,028, EDO Corp. is being awarded a delivery order for $82,221, and Piping Systems International Inc. is being awarded a delivery order for $220,012. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $317,261 will be obligated at the time of award, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity. MAQ Diversified Inc., Vienna, Va. (N62645-15-D-5020); Matrix Providers Inc., Denver, Colo.(N62645-15-D-5021); Potomac Healthcare Solutions LLC, Woodbridge, Va. (N62645-15-D-5022); Med Pros Group LLC, doing business as ProHealth Staffing, Houston, Texas (N62645-15-D-5023); and Dilligas Corp., doing business as U.S. Got People, San Antonio, Texas (N6264515-D-5024) are each being awarded a 40-month, firm-fixed-price, indefinitedelivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award task order contract for various ancillary services to include Allied Health, technician, technologist and assistant labor bands at military treatment facilities in the western region of the United States. The aggregate not-to-exceed amount for these multiple award contracts combined is $28,339,864 , and the companies will have the opportunity to bid on each individual task order as they are

| April 28, 2015 | Navy News Weekly | www.navy-kmi.com

issued. Work will be performed at the Naval Health Clinic Hawaii (28 percent); Naval Hospital Oak Harbor, Wash. (24 percent); Naval Hospital Lemoore, Calif. (12 percent); Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Calif. (10 percent); Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Calif. (9 percent); Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, Calif. (7 percent); Naval Hospital Bremerton, Wash. (7 percent); Naval Hospital Guam (2 percent); and any associated branch clinics in the western region (1 percent). Work performed under these contracts is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2017. Fiscal 2015 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $2,927,324 will be obligated at the time of award under initial task orders, and the funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funding is predominantly from the Defense Health Program; however, other funding initiatives such as psychological health/traumatic brain injury, overseas contingency operations and wounded, ill and injured may be used. These are all one-year funding types. These contracts were solicited via a multiple award electronic request for proposals as a 100-percent Small Disabled VeteranOwned Small Business set-aside; 19 offers were received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Md., is the contracting activity. Marine Hydraulics International Inc., Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $9,848,963 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-10-C-4405) for USS Cole (DDG-67) fiscal 2015 selected restricted availability. The scheduled availability includes the planning and execution of maintenance, repairs and modifications that will update and improve the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s military and technical capabilities. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by November 2015. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,848,963 will be obligated at time of award, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.

Compiled by KMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Media Group staff

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20 april

Kollsman Inc., Merrimack, N.H., is being awarded a $43,000,000 indefinitedelivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of Night Targeting Systems Upgrade (NTSU) and associated support for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The NTSU system is an airborne, electro-optic, forward-looking infra-red, turreted sensor package that provides long-range surveillance, high-altitude target acquisition, tracking, range-finding and laser designation for the USMC. Work will be performed in Merrimack, N.H., and is expected to be completed by April 2020. Fiscal 2013 National Guard and Reserve equipment appropriation funding in the amount of $13,500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was negotiated on a sole source basis in accordance with the statutory authority 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-15-D-JQ30). General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $24,161,138 cost-plusaward-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, with firm-fixed-priced and cost-only components contract for littoral combat ships (LCS) sustainment execution in support of LCSs homeported in or visiting San Diego, Calif. This sustainment execution contract is for both LCS variants. The company

will be to provide planned maintenance, facility maintenance, execution planning, accomplishment of Chief of Naval Operations availabilities, emergent and continuous maintenance, fly-away support and engineering support. This contract includes two options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $96,338,503. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by April 2016. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $6,138,041 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N0002415-C-4313).

United Launch Services LLC, Littleton, Colo., has been awarded a $138,041,011 firm-fixed-price modification (P00086) to previously awarded contract FA8811-13-C-0003 for launch vehicle production services (LVPS) under the terms of the requirements contract. Contractor will execute a requirement for fiscal 2015 LVPS in support of the launch vehicle configuration of one National Reconnaissance Office Atlas V 541. This modification also procures backlog transportation for the GPS IIF-10 and GPS IIF11 missions as well as mission specific commodities for the MUOS-4 mission.

Work will be performed at Centennial, Colo.; Decatur, Ala.; Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and is expected to be complete by July 29, 2017. Fiscal 2015 Air Force missile procurement and Navy weapons procurement funds in the amount of $138,041,011 are being obligated at the time of award. Launch Systems Directorate, Space and Missiles Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Costello Construction of Maryland Inc., Columbia, Md., is being awarded a $10,175,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a parking garage for the Center for Cyber Security at the U.S. Naval Academy. The multilevel parking garage will have approximately 306 parking spaces, built with cast-in-place concrete frame, structural teeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and panels on a pile foundation system. Special foundation features for the parking facility include pile foundation system and earth berm, including underground retaining wall

Inficon Inc., East Syracuse, N.Y., has been awarded a maximum $46,800,000

structure and waterproofing. Environmental mitigation includes relocation of an existing bio-retention feature. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Md., and is expected to be completed by October 2016. Fiscal 2015 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,175,000 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-15-C-0151). Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Rockford, Ill., is being awarded $7,573,995 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 7009 against previously awarded contract (N00383-12-D-001N) for the repair of the V-22 Osprey aircraft constant frequency generator. Work will be performed in Rockford, Ill., and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2016. Fiscal 2015 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,573,995 will obligated at the time of award and will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with FAR 6.302.1. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Contracting Department, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.

fixed-price with economic-priceadjustment contract for medical items and accessories. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and 70 offers were received. This is a five-year base contract. Location of performance is New York with an April 20, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2015 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPE2DH15-D-0010).