New US Navy submarine programme reorganisation leads to overhaul of submarine construction oversight

Submarine construction oversight is being revamped for work at private shipyards like Newport News Shipbuilding, shown here. (Michael Fabey)

The way the US Navy (USN) Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair (SUPSHIP) is overseeing submarine-construction programmes has been overhauled, according to Vice Admiral Robert Gaucher, Pentagon Director Reporting Portfolio Manager Submarines (DRPM SUBS) and US Navy (USN) director of Submarine Programmes as well as Program Acquisition Executive (PAE) Undersea.

SUPSHIP traditionally has retained the USN's primary local authorities for technical, contractual, and business management, physically overseeing major private shipyards working on naval construction programmes nationwide

SUPSHIP will shift from concentrating on contract compliance to working with shipyards to fix problems and remove submarine-construction barriers, Vice Adm Gaucher told Janes on 10 August during a briefing about submarine programme management.

“SUPSHIP at [General Dynamics Electric Boat] EB and HII [Newport News Shipbuilding] was previously very much focused on making sure the private shipyards comply with the contract,” Vice Adm Gaucher said.

“They [SUPSHIP] had a 756-page operational manual largely driven by checklist compliance [of contract provisions],” he said. “We've replaced that with a 15-page guiding principles [document].”

He added, “We told them, ‘Your job is to work with shipbuilders to deliver platforms safely and on time.' I told them to, ‘Stop just writing things down, and go fix the problems. If you have to fix the same thing multiple times, then maybe write that down. Don't' be a notetaker. Let's get to solving deckplate problems.'”

He observed, “They have some technical authority. I want them to make decisions to solve problems, to get the focus off only compliance and on to delivery.”

For more, please see: Pentagon budget 2027: US Navy seeks nearly USD15 billion in submarine investments