Ship Concept Advanced Design

Mission — Ship Concept Advanced Design source

Project 2196 - This project provides the analytical foundation for making informed force structure, capability, and affordability decisions in the development of all future surface ship platforms, weapons, sensors and combat systems. It realizes this through total ship system engineering, technology integration, cost estimation, mission effectiveness analysis, force architecture synthesis, and force-level effectiveness analysis, as well as continuous development of the people, tools and processes required to accomplish these efforts efficiently. This includes early-stage concept development studies for all potential future surface ships. It also includes quantitative mission and force-level analysis to identify future capability gaps and requirements related to advances in threat capabilities, and evaluation of the effectiveness and affordability of potential future technology and concept of operations (CONOP) solutions. Results from this project are used to inform senior Navy leadership in support of budgetary decisions, Capability Evolution Plans (CEP), and requirements related to surface ship force structure, platforms and major combat system elements. Project 3161 - This project provides a coordinated approach to the development of cross platform ship and weapon system designs and technologies common to multiple ships and systems. This project directly influences technical standards for design, construction, certification and operation and provides an avenue for innovative solutions and technologies to compete with legacy product requirements and specifications. This project conducts risk reduction of alternative technical architectures, designs and technology solutions that meet Fleet operational and technical requirements at lower cost; and develops engineering capabilities in the areas of design tools, criteria and methods. This project funds a prioritized portfolio of time-sensitive initiatives through the Cross Platform Systems Development (CPSD) Program, supporting NAVSEA Technical Authority and associated risk reduction activity. The areas of exploration for the CPSD Program include Ship Technology Improvements, Fleet Maintenance and Life Cycle Cost Reduction, Advanced Manufacturing and Material Technology, Additive Manufacturing (AM), Digital Framework/Electromagnetic Environment, Development and Unmanned Systems and Condition Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+). The research products developed by this project directly support and influence both current Fleet requirements and future acquisition programs by providing a range of technically acceptable alternatives and evaluation of emerging technologies. The prototypes, standards/specs, tools and processes and other products developed in this project focus on technical requirements and technologies applicable to multiple ship classes or systems. Products from this project transition directly to early-stage ship design for Ship Preliminary Design and Feasibility Studies, Program Executive Office (PEO) ship acquisition programs, and Systems Engineering Technical Authority (SETA) requirements documentation. Tasks within this project include efforts focused on increasing sustainment technologies and improving performance at reduced cost for current and future naval platforms. This Project supports the Navy National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP). Starting in FY 2026, the AM program moves to a new Program Element (PE) 0604286N, Navy Advanced Manufacturing, and the Learning to Action Board (L2AB) moves to PE 0604516N, Ship Survivability. Project 3505 - The MPF(X) ships will recapitalize the aging BOBO Class maritime prepositioning ships. The 'Sealift the Nation Needs' report to Congress defines a three-phase Sealift Recapitalization approach: Service Life Extensions, Acquiring Used ships, and new construction. The MPF(X) portion represents the prepositioning new construction aspect of the three-phase sealift recapitalization approach. USNS BOBO class ships will retire from service beginning in FY 2033. Project 3244 - This effort funds the research, design, development, testing, and installation of Cybersecurity solutions for all installed integrated computer networks to include shipboard Hull Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E), Navigation Systems, Combat Systems, Fire Control, Sonar, Radar, Communications and all other shipboard computerized control systems for all afloat U.S. Navy platforms. Cybersecurity Engineering supports the development of specifications and standards for the Cybersecurity of all Navy Control Systems (NCS). Project 3376 - Strategic Sealift Research and Development - Develops new concepts and technologies which can be applied to or will enable future strategic sealift, and Seabasing systems. The technologies include ship configuration concepts, equipment to increase cargo handling and cargo loading/unloading rates (including commercial and merchant ship systems), improved man/machine interfaces, improved structural configurations and materials, and Logistics-Over-the-Shore (LOTS) equipment and system improvements. FY 2016 and prior year (FY 2014 and earlier) efforts were financed under the National Defense Sealift Fund (NDSF) BA 04 Project 3116 Strategic Sealift Research and Development. FY 2015, FY 2017, and FY 2019 and future efforts are financed under this program element and project, 3376. Project 4044 - Medium Landing Ship (LSM) is a medium-sized landing ship that enables distributed maneuver and logistics such as Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE), and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) in support of the newly established Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR). It is designed to fill the gap in capability between the Navy's large, multipurpose amphibious warfare class ships and smaller landing vessels. This ship will deploy tailored logistics, select power projection and support strike capabilities via the embarked MLR. Project 4045 - The Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS), also known as T-AOL, is planned to be a new class of ships to augment the traditional Combat Logistics Force (CLF) to enable refueling, rearming, and resupply of Naval assets - afloat and ashore - near contested environments via ship-to-ship operations and ship-to port operations in support of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Littoral Operations Contested Environment (LOCE), and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Augmenting the traditional CLF, NGLS will provide a flexible, responsive platform to move fuel, personnel, equipment, and supplies between ships, advanced bases, ports, and dispersed nodes of the sea base; sustaining afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore (Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements. RDT&E funding will continue to support development of the NGLS ship design(s), specification development, affordability analyses, and definition of ship mission systems. Project 5010 - This project supports Submarine Tender Recapitalization Acquisition Documentation development, Preliminary Design, Detail Design, Program Management/Engineering Services and Total Ship Integration. The Submarine Tender approach leverages current Submarine Tender capabilities, Nuclear Support Facility, integrating new VACL and CLB capabilities into the requirements generation and shipbuilding contracts. Identified missions include submarine tending, re-arming, re-supply of material, medical/dental, nuclear support, submarine systems repair, and other maintenance support. Funding informs requirements definition, early industry engagement preliminary designs, trade studies, and follow-on assessment for Submarine Tender. Project 9999 (Congressional Add)- Funding provided in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2024 for wave energy converters and marine energy systems for sensors and microgrids for digital cybersecurity engineering, Navy Expeditionary Sustainment and Repair (NESAR), Forward Advanced Manufacturing for Expeditionary Deployment (FAMED), Maintenance Technologies Supporting Operational Readiness (MTOR).

Mission — Design, Tools, Plans and Concepts source

Project 2196 - This project provides the analytical foundation for making informed force structure, capability and affordability decisions in the development of all future surface ship platforms, weapons, sensors and combat systems. It achieves this through total ship system engineering, technology integration, cost estimation, mission effectiveness analysis, force architecture synthesis, and force-level effectiveness analysis, as well as continuous development of the people, tools and processes required to efficiently accomplish these efforts efficiently. This includes early-stage concept development studies for all potential future surface ships. It includes quantitative mission and force-level analysis to identify future capability gaps and requirements related to advances in threat capabilities, and evaluation of the effectiveness and affordability of potential future technology and concept of operations (CONOP) solutions. Results from this project are used to inform senior Navy leadership in support of budgetary decisions, Capability Evolution Plans (CEP), and requirements related to surface ship force structure, platforms and major combat system elements.

Mission — Strategic Sealift source

Project 3376 - Strategic Sealift Research and Development - Develops new concepts and technologies which can be applied to or will enable future strategic sealift, and Seabasing systems. The technologies include ship configuration concepts, equipment to increase cargo handling and cargo loading/unloading rates (including commercial and merchant ship systems), improved man/machine interfaces, improved structural configurations and materials, and Logistics-Over-the-Shore (LOTS) equipment and system improvements. Prior Years include: FY2016 and prior years (FY2014 and earlier) efforts financed under the National Defense Sealift Fund (NDSF) BA 04 Project 3116 Strategic Sealift Research and Development; FY2015, FY2017, FY2019 thru FY2023 efforts financed under this program element, RDT&E,N BA04, Project 3376 (Strategic Sealift); and FY2018 efforts financed under RDT&E,N BA 04 Project 9999/C403 (Congressional Adds). The FY 2026 request for Strategic Sealift includes $14,572 thousands of discretionary and $21,200 thousands of mandatory (reconciliation) for a total of $35,722 thousands. The mandatory funds will be allocated to T-AKE Expeditionary Reload Equipment. Further details regarding this reconciliation request can be found in Section 20002 (Shipbuilding) of the Reconciliation Exhibit.

Mission — Cybersecurity Engineering source

This effort funds two continuing cybersecurity programs; Situational Awareness Boundary Enforcement and Response (SABER) and a maturing Cybersecurity project, High Availability Virtual Environment (HAVEN), and USS SECURE. SABER is the research, design, development, testing, and installation of Cybersecurity solutions for installed integrated computer networks to include shipboard Hull Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E), Navigation Systems, Combat Systems, Fire Control, Sonar, Radar, Communications, and other shipboard computerized control systems for all afloat U.S. Navy platforms. SABER provides network boundary defense and situational awareness to protect and detect against external and internal cybersecurity-threats. HAVEN is a secure operating environment that provides a resilient and redundant infrastructure platform for rapid software deployment and system restoration. HAVEN provides the secure operating environment for SABER and a secure hosting environment. HAVEN has been considered a part of SABER and continued HAVEN development has led the Navy to understand that this capability may have use beyond hosting SABER. USS SECURE is a cybersecurity Test & Evaluation capability for operationally representative distributed system of-systems testing with scalable events from individual systems to enclave, platform, and strike group levels. USS SECURE is applicable to systems across Navy SYSCOMS and DoD Services.

Mission — NAVSEA Tech Authority source

This project supports the NAVSEA Technical Authority with the coordination of design and development efforts for cross-platform applicability to result in more affordable, mission-capable, and interoperable surface ship forces including ships that are less expensive to build and operate with reduced manning, reduced support costs, and greater utilization of emerging technology. NAVSEA Tech Authority efforts under Project Unit (PU) 3161, known as the Cross Platform Systems Development (CPSD) Program, develops cross-program technology solutions and associated Technical Authority products. This project provides a coordinated, collaborative approach to the development of cross-platform naval ship and weapon system technical requirements, design, as well as engineering capabilities in the areas of design tools, criteria, and methods. The CPSD project provides innovative solutions for current fleet issues involving Technical Authority, such as interoperability issues with new systems or platforms and/or cross-cutting technology insertion topics. CPSD maintains the use of established functional areas for scope prioritization and portfolio diversification but now aligned to the "Support of Technical Authority." Project Unit 3161 includes the following sub-projects: - Additive Manufacturing (AM): The AM program focuses on development and use of AM equipment for Naval applications in land-based and afloat applications, including system performance requirements, shipboard integration requirements and considerations, material selection, design optimization, equipment and component certification, and digital engineering integration. Efforts include consideration of AM across a wide variety of potential applications ensuring AM manufactured components can meet mission requirements and that system/component technical requirements are updated to leverage AM. In FY 2026, the AM program moves to program element 0604286N, Navy Advanced Manufacturing, for better transparency. - Learning to Action Board (L2AB) Firefighting: Following the USS Bonhomme Richard fire, the L2AB Firefighting Program was established to research and develop solutions for damage control and firefighting issues identified in a subsequent Major Fires Review. This program funds critical efforts in shipboard fire detection/suppression systems, fire prevention features, and advanced firefighting equipment. In FY 2026, the L2AB sub-project moves to program element 0604516N, Ship Survivability, for better transparency. - Underway VLS At-Sea Reload (VASR) program: The VASR is a high-level, high visibility demonstration and testing of connected replenishment for the VLS Reload process, also known as the Transportable Rearming Mechanism Process (TrAM). - Condition Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+): CBM+ is a maintenance optimization program that generates significant benefits through maintenance program resets, maintenance effectiveness reviews, and active reliability centered maintenance (RCM) strategies at the program level. Employed as an enduring cross-life-cycle maintenance strategy, the program offers a technical solution to reduce maintenance burdens, increase operational availability and mission reliability of monitored systems, assists with identifying enterprise-wide cost avoidance, and reduces overall life cycle costs. As a function of the Rapid Sustainment Improvement Process (RSIP), the CBM+ system will develop, test, evaluate, and install (using BLI 1445) on three to five surface combatants for selected shipboard equipment. Sensors for these systems will be defined and assessed. Further, the CBM+ system will integrate with the Naval Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (N-MRO) suite of programs onboard ship to facilitate on ship and off ship monitoring.

Mission — Next Generation Medium Logistics Ship source

The Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS), also known as T-AOL, is planned to be a new class of ships to augment the traditional Combat Logistics Force (CLF) to enable refueling, rearming, and resupply of Naval assets - afloat and ashore - near contested environments via ship-to-ship operations and ship-to port operations in support of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE), and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Augmenting the traditional CLF, NGLS will provide a flexible, responsive platform to move fuel, personnel, equipment, and supplies between ships, advanced bases, ports, and dispersed nodes of the seabase; sustaining afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore (Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements. RDT&E funding will continue to support development of the NGLS ship design(s), specification development, affordability analyses, and definition of ship mission systems.

Mission — Maritime Prepositioning Force Next source

The MPF(X) ships will recapitalize the aging BOBO Class maritime prepositioning ships in consideration of evolved force concepts such as Distributed Maritime Operations. The 'Sealift the Nation Needs' report to Congress defines a three-phase Sealift Recapitalization approach: Service Life Extensions, Acquiring Used ships, and new construction. The MPF(X) portion represents the prepositioning new construction aspect of the three-phase sealift recapitalization approach in full consideration of force concepts. FY 2026 will leverage the previous Analyses of Alternatives (AoA) on Crane Ships and conduct an AoA on Marine prepositioning to continue defining military requirements associated with the nation's sealift and ready reserve force. This requirements definition will then feed into creation of the Capability Development Document (CDD).

Mission — Congressional Adds source

Represents 4 separate Congressional Adds aligned under Ship Concept Advanced Design. Funding provided in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2024 for wave energy converters and marine energy systems for sensors and microgrids for digital cybersecurity engineering, Navy Expeditionary Sustainment and Repair (NESAR), Forward Advanced Manufacturing for Expeditionary Deployment (FAMED), Maintenance Technologies Supporting Operational Readiness (MTOR). Budgets have been updated to reflect Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) taxes applied.

Mission — AS(X) Submarine Tender source

AS(X) will conduct steady state and wartime sustained, forward-based tending, resupply, depot and intermediate level repair operations on submarines and ships while anchored or pier side. In steady state, AS(X) will provide pier side support in a forward deployed submarine homeport, providing sustained repair, supply, weapons handling, and tending operations for submarines. AS(X) is being specifically designed to support deployed VIRGINIA class (VCS), COLUMBIA class (CLB) and future generation submarines in the 21st century. AS(X) is required to support all aspects of Intermediate level maintenance and support to deliver expeditionary tending operations to VCS block V (and later) submarines.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (7)