Peer Review for PowerPoint Presentation
Submarine
Availabilities
Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Availability
Only performed at 6 locations
4 public and 2 private shipyards
Due to complexity of the work and the nuclear reactor
68 total submarines
18 ballistic missile, 50 fast attack submarines
Each submarine requires a major overhaul every 6-7 years
During an overhaul, major complex repairs are made
Submarine’s have a 30+ year lifespan
Key component in national defense and the nuclear triad
*Previous slide is a Virginia Class submarine in dry-dock
Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Availability
National defense can never be compromised
Missed deployments due to extended overhauls cause other submarines to perform there mission in the name of national defense
Cascading effect on the rest of the fleet
Crews become overburdened and overworked
Reduced life of the submarine that takes up their mission and then requires more maintenance
Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Availability
Very difficult to predict and quantify the amount of work required during an overhaul due to the work complexity
Individuals with experience in this field are in high demand
Private shipyards have a fixed cost contract
This dollar amount cannot change even if additional work is required
Additional work is deferred to another availability
Public shipyards complete all required work independent of cost
This leads to longer overhauls due to additional work or change of scope
Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Availability
Private shipyards are less expensive than public shipyards1
Private shipyards complete more availabilities on time
Public shipyards complete more work and require less work deferral
Private shipyard engineers typically earn more than their federal counterparts
All shipyards have a strict and unwavering adherence to safety
Only 2 nuclear powered submarines (Thresher and Scorpion) have been lost
Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Availability
Tax payers have paid $1.5 billion over the past 10 years for submarines to sit idle2
Submarines are extremely expensive to repair
A fire started on board the USS Miami caused damages in excess of $450 million3
Ship was required to be decommissioned 10 years early
Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Availability
No single solution for this complex issue
Major hiring events are happening at all public shipyards
More use of hiring fairs and social media
More emphasis on planning of availabilities
More use of private shipyards
Look into opening additional shipyards for non-nuclear ships to free up space for nuclear powered ships
More competitive wages to be on par with the private sector
References
1Trunkey, D. (2018, September). Comparing the Costs of Submarine Maintenance at Public and Private Shipyards(Rep.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from Congressional Budget Office website: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2018-09/54444-SubmarineMaintenance.pdf
2Wilson, J., Honorable (2018). Actions Needed to Address Costly Maintenance Delays Facing the Attack Submarine Fleet (Rep. No. GAO-19-229). Retrieved April 5, 2019 from https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/695577.pdf
3Associated Press (2013, March). Man Who Set Fire to Nuclear Submarine Gets 17 Years. USA Today. Retrieved April 5, 2019 from, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/15/nuclear-submarine-fire/1990663/