Planned Sustainment: Ensuring Operational Readiness at Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic

The Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (CNSL) is responsible for ensuring the readiness and sustainment of the surface fleet in the Atlantic region. With a diverse range of warships and equipment, Type Commanders (TYCOMs) face unique challenges in maintaining operational readiness while balancing the demands of modern warfare and the need for sustainability.

At CNSL, planned sustainment is critical to ensuring the operational readiness of the surface fleet. Without proper sustainment, warships and equipment can suffer from decreased performance, increased downtime, and reduced mission capability. Moreover, inadequate sustainment can lead to increased costs and decreased safety for the crew and the environment.

The CNSL N41 Logistics and Ordnance team ensures our warships are ready on arrival to fight and win.  CNSL does this through making our leaders decision ready, and focusing on the fight out of the shipyards, out of homeport, and in combat. To achieve these outcomes, several operations, activities, and investments are implemented.  They are pre-deployment Consolidated Shipboard Allowance List (COSAL) grooms, TYCOM directed offloads, Real-Time Reutilization Asset Management (RRAM), and Pre-Deployment Conferences which will be discussed further here.

CNSL Pre-Deployment COSAL Grooms

Purpose: Evaluate and improve the health of shipboard allowances.  While several strategic initiatives have been launched to enhance shipboard allowances such as NSS-Supply and P2P Supply, CNSL N41 has implemented a COSAL groom to drive increased readiness after Naval Supply Systems Command’s (NAVSUP) Targeted Allowance Reconciliation Tool is executed.

Key Advantages: Reduce off-ship requisitions for critical systems while forward deployed.

Process Execution: Analytic review to identify and direct Allowance Type-1 (AT1) COSAL allowance changes. Scoped to specific weapon systems, such as SPY-1, SLQ-32(v)6, and CIWS, CNSL conducts a deep-dive into the historic demands with a focus on off-ship requisitions.

Program Wins: In the last Fiscal Year, the addition of 10,328 items valued at $44.64 million was created through COSAL grooms using the CNSL's Operation and Maintenance, Navy (OMN) account. The return on investment (ROI) was measured 90 days post Return to Homeport (RTHP) for each Carrier Strike Group and Amphibious Ready Group. With an average ROI measured at approximately 30%, CNSL will continue investing CNSL OMN funds to help reduce off-ship requisitions for critical weapon systems while sustaining operational readiness at sea.

(Analytic deep-dive process includes three distinct methods to generate getting the RIGHT parts onboard our warships.)

TYCOM Directed Offloads

Purpose: Reduce shipboard storeroom space constraints and use excess material to satisfy outstanding demand.  Available storeroom space is a known constraint onboard our warships. Careful management of no demand and obsolete material is necessary to optimize storeroom impact on material readiness. CNSL manages excess material and where available make matches to outstanding requestions through TYCOM directed offloads.

Key Advantages: Optimize storerooms and reduce backordered material.

Process Execution: Our senior logistics analysts manage this continuous process through targeted transfers, material screening, monitoring, and refinement. Excess material is offloaded and turned into RRAM for future free issue demands.

Program Wins: By repurposing excess material this opens up storage space when identifying and loading the RIGHT parts onto specific warships. In the last Fiscal Year, CNSL removed 25,120 line-items valued at $47.1M. To date, CNSL has removed 2,487 line-items in FY25 valued at $3.7M.

REAL-TIME REUTILIZATION ASSET MANAGEMENT (RRAM)

Purpose:  Make visible end-use material to reduce obligations for shipboard requirements. To reduce the expense of purchasing new material and increase the availability of reusable assets, Real-Time Reutilization Asset Management (RRAM) ensures that end-use Ready for Issue (RFI) material is not disposed of by the warship. Instead, RRAM stores and manages RFI material for redistribution to the Fleet.

Key Advantages: Improves asset utilization, reduces waste, increases productivity, and cost savings.

Process Execution: In partnership with NAVSUP, CNSL funding is provided for inventory management functions and warehousing (including receiving and shipping) of RRAM material. RRAM parts are re-distributed in accordance with Total Asset Visibility and Cost Avoidance programs by allowing afloat and ashore activities to requisition and obtain material at no cost.

Program Wins: RRAM holds on average, 44,000 line-items valued at $494,000. In the last fiscal year, RRAM was able to execute 14,209 transactions valued at $39.3 million.

Pre-Deployment Conferences (PDC)

Purpose: To train and prepare the Carrier Strike Group (CSG), Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), and Independent Deployers Supply Departments prior to deployment.

Key Advantages: Provides the Material Control Officer, warship supply officers, and their teams, with relevant information, resources and supply readiness points of contact to be successful while assigned to the 5th and 6th Fleet Areas of Operation.

Process Execution: Two-day symposium style event hosted by CNSL N41 and supported by United States Fleet Forces Command, Defense Logistics Agency, NAVSUP, Military Sealift Command, Commander, U.S. SIXTH Fleet, Commander, U.S. FIFTH Fleet, Norfolk Air Mobility Command, Commander, Task Force 63, Commander, Task Force 53, and the Priority Material Office.

Program Wins: Establishes relationships with supply and logistics enablers, to promote early and frequent communications with the support elements. This is foundational to ensure sustained material readiness and warship lethality throughout their deployment. Recently deployed SUPPOs participate in this training event by bringing relevant Lessons Learned to help prepare our deploying warships for success.

While I have only touched upon a few of the sustainment initiatives executed by CNSL N41 team, it is essential for TYCOMs to possess the agility and adaptability to navigate the constantly evolving sustainment landscape of the Surface Warfare Enterprise.

WSP ARG PDC w/USFFC N41 RDML Julie Treanor

IKE CSG PDC w/USFFC N41 RDML Julie Treanor

While I have only touched upon a few of the sustainment initiatives executed by CNSL N41 team, it is essential for TYCOMs to possess the agility and adaptability to navigate the constantly evolving sustainment landscape of the Surface Warfare Enterprise.