The Navy plans to begin practicing a purchase model that values products being good or good enough instead of perfect, DoD Buzz reports.
Adm. Jonathan Greenert, the chief of naval operations, said during the Sea Air Space lunch event that the Navy and its vendors should begin to have more frank conversations on whether the Navy can purchase and field the ships it wants for tomorrow’s fleet.
Greenert said perfect will not work for the Navy’s future acquisitions and that the branch will have to pursue opportunities that are good enough.
The Navy still needs to decide what that future is, he said.
This buying method may lead the Navy to common hulls, focusing on cost at the beginning of the process, he said.
Greenert said the Navy’s fleet is currently performing well, noting the destroyer USS Spruance, which BAE systems is contracted to upgrade, and the USS San Diego transport dock, which General Dynamics is repairing.
He additionally highlighted the Northrop Grumman-built USS California submarine and the Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon patrol planes.
He said he wants the 32 ships currently under contract to be delivered earlier and faster to replace Navy ships reaching the end of their service lives.
The Navy plans to transport four mine countermeasure ships to Bahrain and upgrade its Mk 54 and Mk 48 torpedoes to be capable of handling smaller sized submarines, he said.
Greenert said the Navy is going to move away from its virtual training methods and perform more real-life training activities.
Naval service members will be able to practice against swarm threats and practice using SM-2 missiles to defense themselves.
The branch will also purchase sonobouys to allow P-3 and helicopter crews to practice hunting submarines.
Dear Sir,
You recently said perfect will not work for the Navy’s future acquisitions. You have OBVIOUSLY never had to rely on a submarine to take you out and bring you home safely and seem to have downplayed the tragedy of the USS Thresher and USS Scorpion. The submarine community are not like Army Infantry where you can just grab a new rifle if yours jams. They have reduced the sub fleet while demanding more and more missions and you said perfect will not work for the Navy’s future acquisitions? Will you kindly explain that to the widows and children when another sub is lost to “slightly inferior” workmanship or product?
Yes, we know all about politics but I kindly ask you to consider a higher standard of Statesman, and herald the safety of the men that follow the proud submariner’s tradition !