The Surface Warfare 30 Day Justification Plan

Geoff Fein's article in Defense Daily from August 14th (subscription only) covered some instructions by the CNO to N86 for a new fleet plan. According to the article, Rear Adm Frank Pandolfe, director, surface warfare division (N86) was tasked to draw up a plan and timeline describing a "whole warfighting perspective on the future surface force," to include surface combatants, amphibious ships, and support ships.

According to the memo signed by both Roughead and Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, deputy CNO of integration of capabilities and resources (N8), within 30 days, Pandolfe should present his plan specifically addressing how he will accomplish:

An end-to-end assessment of each surface ship class in production, starting with the Littoral Combat Ship and restart of the DDG-51 class, across all aspects of doctrine, organization, training, material, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities to ensure alignment among operational concepts, afloat and ashore requirements, and acquisition decisions, validate assumptions underlying each of these factors are still relevant to how we operate today. Given assessment results, identify decisions senior leadership must make and recommend a timeline and process for obtaining these decisions.

Identify total ownership costs for each surface ship class in production, starting with the Littoral Combat Ship and restart of the DDG-51 class, to include costs related to research and development, procurement, manpower, operations, sustainment, and disposal. Recommend where Navy could reduce total ownership costs without compromising on warfighting effectiveness.

Articulate how Navy requirements officers can best participate in and/or support requirements and acquisition oversight processes, including Resources, Requirements Review Board and the 2-Pass/6-Gate Review, to ensure decisions related to surface ship procurement are properly vetted and total ownership costs are well understood.

All in 30 days? Did RADM Pandolf piss off the CNO or something? Is it me, or does this memo give the impression the Navy intends to replace the surface combatant portion of the 313-ship plan in 30 days?

It is a sign of how much of a mess Surface Warfare must be that all of this doesn't already exist. How is it possible that Navy leadership is comfortable touting 55 Littoral Combat Ships under oath and in testimony to Congress all this time without an end-to-end understanding of "doctrine, organization, training, material, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities?"

Shouldn't the Navy have developed this information for the DDG-51 before canceling the DDG-1000? It is called predetermination when decisions are justified after they are made.