Description
The Weapon System
LPD-17 is the planned functional replacement for four classes of amphibious ships. The ships will provide over-the-horizon assault capability, employing Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), amphibious vehicles and Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft and will be interoperable with current and planned amphibious forces.
The mission of the LPD-17 ship is Amphibious Warfare (AMW), specifically to achieve and maintain the total amphibious lift objective for the Assault Echelons; and to embark, transport, and debark elements of the landing force to an Amphibious Objective Area (AOA) by a combination of surface craft, such as LCAC, other amphibious vehicles, and by VTOL aircraft, such as helicopters and MV-22s.
Secondary mission areas include mobility, inter-theater sealift, and Naval
Warfare Command and Control.
The LPD 17 program has provided an opportunity to pursue TOC reduction throughout the entire development and production cycle. The initial focus, early in the design process, was designing O&S cost reductions and manpower reductions into the system. More recently, the emphasis has shifted to defining the program's life cycle support strategy and developing a sustainment engineering/ technology evolution management process.
The program has created a TOC conscious environment, emphasizing
achievement of a large TOC reduction focused on operational support
costs, which are historically more than half of TOC. The program office
collaborated closely with other ship-based R-TOC programs (e.g., Aegis
cruisers), and has incorporated many of their concepts into the ship's
initial design. In addition to
efforts to design in producibility, improved reliability and
maintainability, the program office has developed an Integrated
Product Data Environment to automate labor- intensive operations.
Another tenet of this program is to provide a foundation for a long-term
partnership with industry and the user community from contract design to
program disposal, which has further potential to reduce O&S costs.
Production Status, Population, and Planned Life
The first ship, the San Antonio, was funded in FY 1996 with planned
delivery in November 2004. Contracts for the first four ships have been awarded. The production phase is planned for completion in
FY14 with delivery of the 12th ship. A service life of 40 years is
planned.
Prime contractor: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Avondale, LA
Office of Primary Responsibility: PMS 317, LPD-17 Program Manager, Naval Sea Systems Command
R-TOC Focus Areas: (From USD (AT&L) memorandum dated May 10, 1999)
1. Reduced demand from weapon systems via reliability and maintainability improvements
The program office identified "top 10" cost drivers, "top 10" O&S
avoidance items, and "top 10" TOC initiatives in terms of potential ROI.
New initiatives were approved in the areas of smart technology, reduced
TOC/manning, and improved quality of life. Specific initiatives
included:
- The full complement of "Smartship" initiatives, such as Integrated Bridge System, Wireless Communications, and Advanced Food Service
- Fire/Smoke Sensing System
- Waste Stream Management
- Ship's Wide Area Net
- Maintenance reduction initiatives including: high solids paints in tanks and well deck overhead; synthetic well deck planking; corrosion control changes; water tight door changes; stratica tile; porcelain tile in wet spaces
- Phased maintenance concept
- Advanced Enclosed Mast System (AEMS), which provides for reduced radar cross section, improved sensor reliability, and reduced maintenance, and also enables future upgrades to advanced sensor systems
2. Reduced supply chain response times, leading to reduced spares, system support footprint, and depot needs
- Shipboard Integrated Product Data Environment (IPDE): Provides connectivity between the ship and shore based infrastructure. Results in a reduced administrative burden and an integrated Supply Chain with spare parts support.
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Developing technology evolution management process, including a COTS database, budget forecasting tools, and a tech refresh/insertion management team. An annual Baseline Technology Evolution Plan will address technology obsolescence and upgrade requirements.
3. Competitive sourcing of product support, leading to streamlining and overhead reductions
- Pursuing a Best Value Analysis (BVA) process and methodology for determining life cycle support for the LPD-17.
The program office is working closely with NAVICP, the shipbuilders, and fleet representatives to identify best value providers for the Planning Yard, depot repair, spare parts, sustaining engineering, software support, and other maintenance and supply activities. The PBL objectives are: reduced TOC, improved readiness, maximum utilization of existing infrastructure, and improved obsolescence management.
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