By Geoff Fein
The Navy needs to leverage science and technology initiatives to provide sailors a warfighting edge, and sustain that edge into the future, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) said in his 2010 guidance.
“That edge includes advances in human performance and protection, total ownership cost (TOC), autonomy, and power and energy. These and other focus areas are codified in the Naval S&T Strategic Plan and, together with direct Enterprise engagement, help connect warfighter requirements to science and technology,” CNO Adm. Gary Roughead said. “We have achieved our goal of transitioning 70 percent of Future Naval Capability efforts to approved program of record, and have also increased Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global presence in order to better mine the worldwide field of S&T, and avoid technological surprise.”
Roughead laid out the way ahead, stating the Navy will improve technology transition rates and “make every dollar count,” through formal closed-loop coordination and resource sponsors.
The Navy will also “enrich collaboration across the Naval Research Enterprise through approved social networking, to improve efficiency and reduce duplication. The Navy will also expand ONR Global offices into Eastern Europe and the far East,” Roughead said in his guidance.
“We will continue to maximize Navy’s S&T investment in basic science and scientific discovery to seek ways to support our sailors’ future warfighting advantage and deliver ‘the next big things,'” he said. “We will support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and outreach to inspire tomorrow’s Navy scientists.”
The Navy must also assess the return on investment in everything it does, and manage investments to guarantee the appropriate balance of efficiency and risk, Roughead added.
“We are asking tough questions and making tough decisions regarding our programs and operating assumptions to ensure the most effective utilization of Navy resources,” according to the CNO’s 2010 guidance. “In [the president’s budget]-10, we eliminated under performing programs and programs delivering capabilities for unlikely conflicts. As the Navy’s lead for TOC reduction, [Deputy CNO] N4 is incorporating total ownership cost and manpower costs into all aspects of the planning, programming, budgeting and execution process to ensure resource decisions consider full lifecycle costs, not just funding for acquisition alone.”
This effort requires that total ownership and manpower costs be key components of all programmatic discussions and decisions, Roughead said.
The Navy is also pursuing cost reduction strategies for major acquisition programs, including the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), he added.
In keeping with his recent order to stand up Fleet Cyber Command (FLTCYBERCOM), Roughead noted the importance of achieving decision superiority.
“We are realigning our organizations to more effectively man, train, and equip Navy forces for cyber and informations operations by standing up FLTCYBERCOM/TENTHFLT and reorganizing the OPNAV staff to achieve the integration and innovation necessary for warfighting dominance across the full spectrum of operations across the maritime, cyberspace and information domains,” he said. “We are taking a more holistic approach to unmanned systems by developing a strategy to guide the architecture, requirements, and procurement plan for these operational necessities.”
Roughead pointed out the Navy will soon be standing up FLTCYBERCOM/TENTHFLT to serve as the Navy Component Commander to unite States Cyber Command. The new command is expected to stand up next month.
The Navy will also establish DCNO N2/N6 as the organization responsible for investment decisions for information, cyber and space capabilities, and for developing the Navy’s information architectures.”
The service will also conclude a continuity of service agreement with EDS [HPQ] for the Navy Marine Corps Internet (NMCI). And the service will continue forward with the plan for the Next Generation Network, which will put control of the technology square in the hands of the Navy.
The Navy also will improve its ability to manage vast quantities of information and intelligence.
Roughead also said the Navy will integrate warfighting capabilities with the Marine Corps to meet the objectives of the maritime strategy and Naval Operations Concept.
The Navy will also move forward with the Coast Guard to ensure security in the maritime domain. The two services signed a memorandum of agreement to coordinate non-medical care for wounded, ill and injured sailors, Coast Guardsmen and their families.
“We delivered [Maritime Domain Awareness] Spiral 1 with port and coastal surveillance capacity to improve maritime security, data fusion and info dissemination,” he added. “Through Task Force Climate Change, we are collaborating on a policy and approach to maritime operations in the Arctic.”
The Navy and Coast Guard will also pursue commonality of command control computers communications and intelligence systems as well as unmanned systems, Roughead said.
“We will seek out new and mature existing Navy-Coast Guard initiatives that address maritime domain awareness, maritime safety and security, homeland defense, theater security cooperation, and energy and climate change issues,” he added.