By Geoff Fein
CHARLESTON, S.C.–It might be time for the Navy to reexamine decades old acquisition legislation and policies to see if they continue to be valid today, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) said.
Additionally, top Navy and Marine Corps brass will look at the amphibious fleet force structure.
In the past few years, the Navy’s acquisition efforts have undergone several changes, from reinstating a three-star billet, to introducing a new gate review process, led by then-Navy Secretary Donald Winter.
Adm. Gary Roughead told reporters Saturday that assigning Vice Adm. David Architzel to principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (DASN) for research, development and acquisition (RD&A), has benefited the Navy.
“Because of where David Architzel is, and the fact that he works very very closely with N8, N6 and is able to work things at the DCNO level,” Roughead said.
In July 2007, after bowing to pressure from Congress, the Navy nominated then-Rear Adm. David Architzel for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as principal DASN for RD&A.
Lawmakers saw the need for a three-star slot in RD&A as a much needed capability in the Navy’s acquisition shop. The service had been without a three-star flag officer since 2000, when Vice Adm. John Lockard served in both the acquisition shop and as commander Naval Air Systems Command, according to the Navy.
Vice Adm. William Bowes was the last full-time deputy assistant secretary for acquisition when he held that role from March 1995 to August 1996, according to the Navy.
“The other point I would make,” Roughead added, “is that, Donald Winter was very open to my participation in a lot of things…we started the [gate] review process…that has helped. On all of the acquisition issues, there is great dialogue between David Architzel and myself.”
And, Roughead noted, RD&A is right across the hall from his office.
Roughead also acknowledged the efforts of Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley. “He has been very keen on keeping the dialogue going.”
“I do believe, however, that as people talk about the way you do acquisition…now may be the time to go back and look at some of the legislation…policy from early ’80s, and see if it is still valid…does it still work? Roughead said. “Where can it be improved…where are the flaws?
One mistake people make, he added, is when they say shipbuilding is broken. “When you see a ship like Truxtun at the pier, it’s hard to believe that American shipbuilding is broken. There may be some things we have to do in the acquisition process.
“The broken moniker I think is a little bit of an over statement…probably a lot of an over statement,” he added. “We build the best warships in the world, and submarines, so how can you say its broken?”
But Roughead said acquisition does need to be examined.
“We need to look at the roles and responsibilities and some of the processes, the lengthy time it takes to turn things especially in the area of our command and control and IT (information technology),” he said. “Our process is a speed brake on trying to introduce new technologies very quickly.”
By the time all the wickets and everything else have been navigated, technology has already advanced, Roughead added.
The CNO also told reporters that he is going to be taking a look at the amphibious fleet force structure, not just from the standpoint of supporting the Marine Corps’ lift requirements, but using amphibious ships for some of the cooperative security efforts.
“There are some folks who would say the best way to do cooperative security is with small, cheap and benign patrol boats operating in various areas around the world. I would argue that the model that we have with the Africa Partnership Station (APS) and the [USS] Nashville is a great way to do cooperative security,” he said. “If I put five country X’s sailors on one of the small patrol boats and we teach them how to do maritime security, that’s great for those five sailors. But consider what we are doing with Nashville.”
Roughead said the USS Nashville (LPD-13) transits into an area and, using the indigenous country’s capabilities, conducts maritime security patrols. “And by the way, she has a well deck where you can bring boats and teach and work with sailors from that other navy on boat maintenance and boat repair…which is another way of teaching skills..”
At the APS there is an international staff made up of officers from countries in West Africa…some who are the top officers from those countries, he noted. “We are working with them. We are working on broader staff procedures…staff organization…maritime security constructs.”
And the size of amphibious ships, like the Nashville, means the Navy could hold conferences onboard.
“If we want to have a maritime security conference and bring in other agencies from that country, we can bring them together. Last year on the [USS] Fort McHenry we were doing a maritime security conference and one of the gentlemen from an agency…in the country…came up to one of our officers and said ‘this is the first time we’ve ever been in the same room together.’ That’s pretty powerful.”
At multiple levels the Navy is engaging and working with not just the sailors who are responsible for the operations of their navy, but with the leadership and the ability to work broader maritime security constructs, Roughead said.
The ability to use amphibious ships in maritime security operations is great, Roughead said. “But, that’s not to say that’s all I want to deploy them for.”
“They’re still designed to carry Marines and to be able to project power with Marines and be able to do it from a survivable ship,” he said. “That’s going to be something both [Marine Corps Commandant Gen.] Jim Conway and I are extraordinarily interested in as we go forward.”