Life Cycle Engineering Helps Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Philadelphia Meet Numerous Challenges

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The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Philadelphia is the U.S. Navy’s resident expertise for engineering and technical services, focused on the areas of hull, mechanical and electrical systems and equipment. These services are provided for new ship acquisition, new construction and in-service support. They are the sole government entity remaining at the Philadelphia Naval Business Center (formerly the Navy yard.) NSWC employs more than 2,000 people and some of the Navy’s most unique test facilities.

Challenge:

The NSWC Philadelphia required support for the Maintenance Engineering Library Server (MELS) program of its Integrated Condition Assessment System (ICAS). The MELS program allows ICAS to send self-loading Configuration Data System (CDS) software updates to fleet units, eliminating the need to send a person to each ship.

Solution:

LCE’s support activities have included:

• Defining software requirements, working with ICAS programmers, and implementing the new process. The newly established process has reduced the cost of implementing CDS updates.
• Coordinating processing of ICAS Individual Procurement Action Reports (IPARs) and establishing a new process that has enabled speedier reporting.

Challenge:

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Program Executive Office for Submarines sought support for the Submarine Performance Monitoring Team operating in New London, CT.

Solution:

LCE’s support activities have included:

• Coordinating ongoing operations, including providing training for new staff members and generating weekly and annual reports.
• Maintaining and updating the New London PMT local area network and associated computer workstation hardware and software suites, plus providing distance support to all Submarine PMT sites in troubleshooting and resolving computer networking, PC hardware and software issues.
• Conducting Information Assurance audits and maintaining Safe Security Accreditation Agreement (SSAA) documentation.
• Assisting with development, testing and fielding of the Submarine Maintenance and Monitoring Information System (SSMIS) and association technical documentation.

Challenge:

The Navy is concerned about the impacts of obsolescence on the fast evolving high technology equipment aboard Navy ships, due largely to its effect on mission readiness. A problem occurs when the manufacturer of a critical component or system ceases to produce the part, or upgrades to newer technology that may not be compatible with the current system. When a part becomes obsolete, unless the system has replacement parts or spares, the system may face redesign or may even be scrapped, depending on associated costs. NSWC Carderock Division sought a partner to help establish and maintain an Obsolescence Management Program.

Solution:

LCE has provided the following services:

• Proactive obsolescence management services, identifying systems or components that require monitoring as well as existing inventories, usage rates, projected future requirements and vendor surveys.
• Identification of potential solutions when system or component obsolescence occurs.
• Assisting with design, implementation and documentation for a Parts Obsolescence Management Program for Machinery Control System hardware and software.

© 2008 Life Cycle Engineering,Inc.

For More Information

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