THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

WASHINGTON DC 203501 000

August 1, 2013

The Honorable C. W. Bill Young Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515-6018 Dear Mr. Chairman: The enclosed report regarding manning of the Littoral Combat Ship is submitted to the congressional defense committees as required by the committee report accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2013 (Report 112-493 on H.R. 5856). A similar letter has been sent to Chairmen McKeon, Durbin, and Levin. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know. Sincerely,

Enclosure: as stated Copy to: The Honorable Peter J. Visclosky Ranking Member

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

WASHINGTON DC 2.03501 000

August 1, 2013

The Honorable Howard P. McKeon Chairman, Committee on Armed Services House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515-6035 Dear Mr. Chairman: The enclosed report regarding manning of the Littoral Combat Ship is submitted to the congressional defense committees as required by the committee report accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2013 (Report 112-493 on H.R. 5856). A similar letter has been sent to Chairmen Levin, Durbin, and Young. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know. Sincerely,

Enclosure: as stated Copy to: The Honorable Adam Smith Ranking Member

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

WASHINGTON DC 20350-1000

August 1, 2013

The Honorable Richard J. Durbin Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense Committee on Appropriations United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Mr. Chairman: The enclosed report regarding manning of the Littoral Combat Ship is submitted to the congressional defense committees as required by the committee report accompanying the Department ofDefense Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2013 (Report 112-493 on H.R. 5856). A similar letter has been sent to Chairmen McKeon, Levin, and Young. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Enclosure: as stated Copy to: The Honorable Thad Cochran Vice Chairman

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

WASHINGTON DC 203501 000

August 1, 2013

The Honorable Carl Levin Chairman, Committee on Armed Services United States Senate Washington, DC 20510-6050 Dear Mr. Chairman: The enclosed report regarding manning of the Littoral Combat Ship is submitted to the congressional defense committees as required by the committee report accompanying the Department ofDefense Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2013 (Report 112-493 on H.R. 5856). A similar letter has been sent to Chairmen McKeon, Durbin, and Young. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Enclosure: as stated Copy to: The Honorable James M. Inhofe Ranking Member

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REPORT TO CONGRESS

LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP MANNING CONCEPTS

July 2013

Prepared by: OPNAV- SURFACE WARFARE 2000 Navy Pentagon Washington, DC 20350

To date, preparation of the report/study cost the Department of Defense a total of approximately $3601.00 for the 2013 Fiscal Year. This includes $0 in expenses and $3601.00 in DoD labor. Generated on 2013APR05. ReflD: 47F8BB29

Table of Contents
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Requirement Background Future Manning Plans Additional Crew Member Accommodations Training Opportunities for Junior Crew Members Projected Timeline for Proposed Manning Changes Projected Cost of Ship Modifications to Accommodate Additional Crew Members Conclusion 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5

1. Requirement
The committee report accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2013 (Report 112-493 on H.R. 5658), on page 28, includes the following language: The Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after enactment of this Act on future manning plans for the LCS. The report should include the Navy's plan for future manning requirements, including how additional crewmembers will be accommodated based on the outcome of the aforementioned pilot program, how training opportunities for junior crew members will be provided, a projected timeline for proposed manning changes, and a projected cost of ship modifications to accommodate additional crew members.

2. Background
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a key element of the Navy's future force and is optimized to assure access in the littorals by using an open architecture design, modular weapons, sensor systems, and a variety of manned and unmanned vehicles to gain, sustain, and exploit maritime supremacy. One of the key performance factors established in the vision for LCS was to reduce life cycle costs. The Navy wanted LCS to employ minimal manning concepts in the core crew and mission module detachments to the maximum extent possible. The Preliminary Design Interim Requirements Document dated February 10, 2003, set the manning targets for the LCS core crew at 15 (objective) and 50 (threshold). In 2003, based on this requirement and through a Human Systems Integration analysis, the Navy determined that a core crew of 40 could conduct all functions necessary to maintain a combat ready Littoral Combat Ship. Further, the Navy determined that 75 berthing spaces would be available on the ship to support a core crew of 40 members, an embarked aviation detachment with 20 members, and a mission module detachment with 15 crew members, for a total LCS complement of 75 Sailors. This aggressive manning target was intended to incentivize industry design teams to use automation, which would allow the Navy to minimize crew size and manpower overhead and reduce LCS lifecycle costs. The emphasis on small crew size was influenced by Navy's desire to pursue a "multi-crew, forward stationed" deployment model for LCS.
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In 2004, follow-on functional workload analysis found that a core crew size of 40 would be insufficient to perform all functions required to sustain operations, and that core crew size should be increased. Further, in 2012, a Navy Resources, Requirements and Review Board, added the requirement for the ship to carry one MH-60 and up to three Vertical Take-off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles at all times. This requirement, approved by the LCS Oversight Council, increased the size of the aviation detachment to 23 in order to meet maintenance and operational support requirements of the aircraft. This decision prompted the LCS Program's Configuration Change Board to add three additional berthing spaces to LCS 1 and 2 in postdelivery availabilities which increased the total berths available to78. Again, Navy planners knew these manning targets were aggressive and might need to be adjusted based on experience with operating the Flight 0 ships.

3. Future Manning Plans

On March 1, 2013, USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) deployed with an additional10 core crew personnel as part of a pilot program, developed in response to lessons learned from FREEDOM's first deployment in 2010. During FREEDOM's first deployment, the ship conducted extended operations in the SOUTHERN COMMAND Area of Responsibility, supporting Counter-Illicit Trafficking and Theater Security Cooperation missions with a for 40-member core crew, a Surface Warfare mission package, and an MH-60 aviation detachment. FREEDOM also participated in the Rim of the Pacific exercise, where it was incorporated into the stressful environment of a Carrier Strike Group to analyze the capabilities and determine limiting factors of a minimally manned ship. The ship met mission requirements, but several concurrent evolutions in a high-optempo environment fatigued the crew, which degraded crew readiness and performance levels. Data from LCS operations, particularly from FREEDOM's early operational deployment and performance during major fleet exercises, suggested the need to increase the. core crew complement to accommodate more maintenance and watch requirements. The Navy will capture lessons learned from the current deployment with 50 core crew personnel and determine whether adjustments to core crew size are necessary. Navy will also analyze results from experience gained during Mine Warfare Missions (MCM) developmental testing in USS INDEPENDENCE (LCS 2) to determine whether the MCM package crew of 15 is correct. Similar studies will validate manning levels for the other two mission modules. Additionally, there are three newly-commissioned Ensigns assigned to FREEDOM and INDEPENDENCE crews as a limited pilot program in order to determine the feasibility of assigning junior officers to LCS crews. By assigning junior surface warfare officers to LCS crews as their first operational command, Navy will be able to develop officers with LCS experience, establishing a foundation of future LCS-experienced Department Heads, Executive Officers, and Commanding Officers with valuable previous sea time onboard LCS. These Ensigns have completed the baseline surface warfare division officer training, as well as similar LCS training pipelines to other LCS Sailors, and initial reports from both ships are that these junior officers are performing exceedingly well, on par with their counterparts on other ships, and have been positive factors in their crews.

4. Additional Crew Member Accommodations

In preparation for FREEDOM's 2013 Western Pacific deployment, 20 additional permanent berths were installed to accommodate the growth in the core crew and aviation detachment. Permanent berths will also be added to INDEPENDENCE during Post Shakedown Availability in September 2013. None of the crew in FREEDOM or any other LCS are in temporary or module berths. In May 2013, the Navy determined that additional permanent accommodations for a total crew size of 98 should be incorporated in all LCS class ships. Program Executive Office (PEO) LCS has been directed to add permanent accommodations on LCS 3 and LCS 4 in the near future and on all follow-on ships, through either forward-fit or back-fit.

5. Training Opportunities for Junior Crew Members

The original LCS minimal manning construct envisioned LCS Sailors to be highly trained and experienced. This premise was based upon the theory that LCS Sailors are required to arrive aboard the ship ready to assume all duties with minimal ship board training required. This minimal manning framework precludes the traditional apprentice-to-journeyman construct and would require Sailors to arrive onboard with all qualifications completed, both at an individual and at the team level. On-the-job training would only be used for minimal familiarization and sustainment training. In March 2013, FREEDOM's three newly-commissioned Ensigns demonstrated the validity of utilizing a Train to Qualify (T2Q) based model. These three Ensigns completed a rigorous simulated "at sea" program at the Littoral Combat Ship Training Facility. This training enabled Ensigns to garner the skill sets required to qualify in advanced watchstanding positions as part of the bridge watch team, before reporting aboard. After only a few days at sea, these Ensigns formally qualified as Junior Officer of the Deck. Their presence also enables the Surface Community to analyze the impacts of a hybrid (T2Q)/on-the-job training and qualifications construct, and to grow a base of officers who can re-tour on LCS. This pilot program will help 'form the basis for how training of future first tour officers may be accomplished. Concurrently, as part of the 10 additional core crew members onboard FREEDOM, the Navy is evaluating the feasibility of assigning junior enlisted Sailors as a relatively small segment of LCS crews. These junior Sailors receive the same LCS shore-based Train to Qualify/Train to Certify (T2Q/T2C) preparation as all other LCS Sailors, and would be assigned duties and responsibilities onboard commensurate with their junior ranks. Initial assessments of junior enlisted personnel onboard LCS have shown positive results for both the individuals and their assigned crews, and the initial LCS training and experience these Sailors receive accelerates their professional growth and development.

6. Projected Timeline for Proposed Manning Changes

The Navy has no manning changes currently programmed. The pilot programs for the increase of core crew to 50 arid for the assignment of three Ensigns will generate lessons learned that will be analyzed to determine whether permanent changes are necessary. Navy will fully evaluate all previous lessons learned and future manning options following FREEDOM's current
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deployment. The Navy expects to complete this evaluation in FY14 and incorporate any proposed manning changes beginning in FY15.

7. Projected Cost of Ship Modifications to Accommodate Additional Crew Members

The habitability modification for LCS 3 will be executed using the Navy Modernization Program funding line in Fiscal Year 2013 at a cost of approximately $600,000. The habitability modifications for LCS 4 will be pursued using Fiscal Year 2014 reprogramming actions at a cost of approximately $700,000. Modification costs to LCS 3 and LCS 4 only include the money necessary to increase the number of total berthing available aboard by changing the current 2high bunk configuration to a 3-high bunk configuration. This habitability modification does not include modifying the ship for other necessities that come with increased crew size, such as the capability for increased food storage, potable water generation, and sewage collection. The habitability modifications for LCS 5 and follow-on ships in the initial block buy will require a design and engineering study which will cost approximately $6 million to complete both ship classes -- $3 million for the INDEPENDENCE class and $3 million for the FREEDOM class. This cost is associated with the non-recurring engineering elements required to modify each ship for increased food storage, potable water consumption, solid waste storage, and changes to the HV AC equipment. A design and engineering study will determine the change order cost of each following ship in the block buy. Future programming submissions will fund these habitability modifications.

8. Conclusion
Based on current analysis and lessons learned from FREEDOM's deployment, LCS will be configured to support up to 98 total personnel, to include core crew, Mission Package detachment, and aviation detachment. Projected costs to modify ships to accommodate this manning level are $600,000 for LCS 3 and $700,000 for LCS 4. Projected design and engineering costs for future ships are estimated at $6 million for both LCS variants. The costs to modified follow on ships will be addressed in future budgets. Manpower and workload analyses of FREEDOM's eight-month deployment to the Western Pacific will continue through her deployment. Finally, Navy Manpower Analysis Center will conduct a study aboard FREEDOM in early 2014 to support the development of the LCS Ship's Manpower Document (SMD) which will further codify manpower requirements and policies and validate crew size, crew rotation construct, and associated shore manpower required to operate and support the LCS class.