VADM Rowden Calls an End to the LCS Charades

The news on LCS just won't stop, and based on the comment count from last week's LCS posts - the Front Porch is still digesting it all.

A bombshell was dropped - wait, we're talking Surface stuff, so ... a broadside was fired on Friday as the previous day's letter from VADM Rowden, Commander Naval Surface Forces made the rounds.

The letter rakes the stern of the LCS establishment, and any lingering advocates need to strike their flag. While it is temping to gloat along with the rest of those who predicted much of this for over a decade - let's not do that (OK, maybe a little).

Rowden is doing is exactly what we need done and appears to be heading in the best direction; a smart person with a hard job trying to find a way to make the best of what the mistakes of others has foisted on to his Fleet. It is all I've asked for since throwing the towel in on LCS in 2010, and at last I think this is being done.

Then entire letter is below, but I want to comment on each paragraph, combining when needed - a friendly Fisking if you will.

OK, let's go.

A joint memo from the Chief of Naval Operations and Assistance Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition directed the establishment of a Littoral Combat Ship Review Team on Feb. 29, 2016. Our task was to review crewing, operations, training and maintenance of the ship class.

Our core focus was to maximize forward operational availability, while looking for ways to increase simplicity, stability and ownership. It became clear the LCS crewing construct is the variable that most impacts the other factors such as manning, training, maintenance, and – most importantly – operations forward. As such, one of the main changes to the program will be establishing a “Blue/Gold Plus” crewing concept. This change maximizes forward presence and improves stability, simplicity, and crew ownership. With this change, the crew will now focus on a single mission (Anti-Submarine, Anti-Surface, Mine Countermeasures) for the entirety of their tour.

"Simplicity" - the bane of transformationalists; excellent. Vince Lombardi leadership; superb."Stability and ownership." Lessons of centuries of manning ships and a slap across the face of the green-eye shade Navy; smart. Blue/Gold is a compromise and easy if fix if a failure. The big part of this paragraph - single mission. The fever dream of mission module swapping is dead. We told you that wouldn't work over a decade ago, but we welcome the party. Better now than later.

With Blue/Gold Plus crewing we will create three Divisions of four ships operating on each coast. The divisions will have a single mission (ASW, ASUW, MCM) and be commanded by a major commander identical in stature to officers commanding guided missile cruisers, amphibious transportation docks ships, destroyer squadrons, or amphibious assault ships. The 12 Freedom- variant ships will be homeported in Mayport, Florida. The 12 Independence-variant ships will be homeported in San Diego, California. One ship in each division will be designated as the “training ship,” manned by a single crew comprised of seasoned, experienced LCS Sailors. These training ships will be charged with knowing their mission, training to their mission and training/certifying the remaining six crews in their Division. The remaining ships of the squadron will be the ships that deploy and will be crewed with a “Blue-Gold” construct (similar to the crewing concept of our SSBN’s).

Single mission, focused Divisions run by a CAPT. Each Division will have one LCS in port to make sure all crews are kept trained and ready while their ship is deployed with the other crew. This absolutely works for me. A lot of non-deployable overhead, but you have to work with what you have. I shall not quibble.

The deploying crews will consist of 70 Sailors plus the Sailors manning the aviation detachment. These 70 Sailors are a combination of what was previously known as the “core” crew and the “mission module” crew – ONE CREW focused on ONE MISSION.

In case you missed it, he repeats it. Nod of the head to Rowden.

The Division Commander and staff will oversee all aspects of manning, training and equipping their assigned ships and crews, building expertise, ownership and stability within the crews.

To simplify and stabilize the ongoing testing and evaluation program, the first four ships in the in class will be shifted to dedicated, single-crewed testing ships whose main mission will be test and evaluation of the modular systems being installed on our LCS. Like the training crews, these ships will be manned with seasoned, experienced LCS Sailors. These ships will be available on an as needed basis for training and deployment; however, their main focus will be on system testing.

Back to what works for the Division, and notice Rowden repeats again - "simplify" "stabilize" - this is simply outstanding. Big takeaway here; LCS 1, 2, 3, and 4 are going to be training and evaluation units. This is a subtle admission that we still do not have any idea how to best use these ships with the weapons and systems they may or may not have. There is also a typo in the original, so I am not sure if it is the first four LCS, or first four of each class. If it is 1-8 as opposed to 1-4 ... then, yikes. Things are even worse in 2016 than I thought. Yes, worse than what I thought.

For all of our new ships, a single pre-commissioning crew will remain with the ship through the completion of post-shakedown availability and preparations for the first deployment.

To foster increased ownership by our sailors, we will establish Maintenance Execution Teams within the Division structure. These teams comprised of LCS Sailors will augment the ship crews within the Division in the execution of both preventative and corrective maintenance.

A kick to the groin for another sin of the concept - civilian contractor support. These are Sailors helping - and looks like good shore duty opportunities. Again, this is good stuff.

Finally, as we grow the number of forward operating stations to support our operations forward we will establish Forward Liaison Elements to ensure the support for our LCS where they are operating.

As we implement these changes, we will continue to make iterative adjustments and improvements based on evolving fleet requirements and technological developments. Implementing the approved recommendations from this review and continuing to examine other areas for improvement will better position the LCS program for success – both now and in the future.

This admits that we simply do not know what the future may require, so we'll adjust as needed going forward.

I don't know about you, but this works for me. Given the realities of what can realistically be done at the end of 4QFY16, I can only applaud VADM Rowden and his team on this first iteration of doing what can be done with this star-crossed program. May they squeeze every bit of utility out of it.

Statement from Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, Commander, Naval Surface Forces

Results from the Chief of Naval Operations Directed 60-Day Review of the

Littoral Combat Ship Program

Sept. 08, 2016

A joint memo from the Chief of Naval Operations and Assistance Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition directed the establishment of a Littoral Combat Ship Review Team on Feb. 29, 2016. Our task was to review crewing, operations, training and maintenance of the ship class.

Our core focus was to maximize forward operational availability, while looking for ways to increase simplicity, stability and ownership. It became clear the LCS crewing construct is the variable that most impacts the other factors such as manning, training, maintenance, and – most importantly – operations forward. As such, one of the main changes to the program will be establishing a “Blue/Gold Plus” crewing concept. This change maximizes forward presence and improves stability, simplicity, and crew ownership. With this change, the crew will now focus on a single mission (Anti-Submarine, Anti-Surface, Mine Countermeasures) for the entirety of their tour.

With Blue/Gold Plus crewing we will create three Divisions of four ships operating on each coast. The divisions will have a single mission (ASW, ASUW, MCM) and be commanded by a major commander identical in stature to officers commanding guided missile cruisers, amphibious transportation docks ships, destroyer squadrons, or amphibious assault ships. The 12 Freedom- variant ships will be homeported in Mayport, Florida. The 12 Independence-variant ships will be homeported in San Diego, California. One ship in each division will be designated as the “training ship,” manned by a single crew comprised of seasoned, experienced LCS Sailors. These training ships will be charged with knowing their mission, training to their mission and training/certifying the remaining six crews in their Division. The remaining ships of the squadron will be the ships that deploy and will be crewed with a “Blue-Gold” construct (similar to the crewing concept of our SSBN’s).

The deploying crews will consist of 70 Sailors plus the Sailors manning the aviation detachment. These 70 Sailors are a combination of what was previously known as the “core” crew and the “mission module” crew – ONE CREW focused on ONE MISSION.

The Division Commander and staff will oversee all aspects of manning, training and equipping their assigned ships and crews, building expertise, ownership and stability within the crews.

To simplify and stabilize the ongoing testing and evaluation program, the first four ships in the in class will be shifted to dedicated, single-crewed testing ships whose main mission will be test and evaluation of the modular systems being installed on our LCS. Like the training crews, these ships will be manned with seasoned, experienced LCS Sailors. These ships will be available on an as needed basis for training and deployment; however, their main focus will be on system testing.

For all of our new ships, a single pre-commissioning crew will remain with the ship through the completion of post-shakedown availability and preparations for the first deployment.

To foster increased ownership by our sailors, we will establish Maintenance Execution Teams within the Division structure. These teams comprised of LCS Sailors will augment the ship crews within the Division in the execution of both preventative and corrective maintenance.

Finally, as we grow the number of forward operating stations to support our operations forward we will establish Forward Liaison Elements to ensure the support for our LCS where they are operating.

As we implement these changes, we will continue to make iterative adjustments and improvements based on evolving fleet requirements and technological developments. Implementing the approved recommendations from this review and continuing to examine other areas for improvement will better position the LCS program for success – both now and in the future.