Combat System Engineering for the DDG—51 Class and Future Surface Combatants

Abstract

ABSTRACTConstraints imposed on future surface combatant acquisition will demand both design‐to‐capability and design‐to‐cost. The future Navy must be affordable and, to go in harm's way, must be combat capable. The quality of future ships depends on establishing an acquisition process that ensures capability independent of the rate of ship construction or the missions of the fleet.This paper explores surface combatant acquisition strategy and the engineering process that supports it. Events that shaped the combat system portion of the DDG‐51 shipbuilding program are reviewed as a basis to propose a modification to the process of future acquisitions. A historical perspective is established by outlining the shipbuilding program as it evolved from about 1978 to 1989. Factors that shaped the eventual upgrade program are presented in terms of the acquisition strategy and system engineering, which led to definition of the combat system configurations.Conclusions based on the information presented suggest that a more efficient system engineering process is needed to execute future preplanned upgrades and to support long‐term plans. This process is described in terms of a single research and development funding line for configuration definition, design, and development. This approach differs from the traditional ship design, acquisition, and construction process in terms of continuity of system development and emphasis on interdependencies of the combat system and ship.