Items Less Than $5 Million

The LI 0981 - Items less than $5 Million program within the Navy's Other Procurement budget is designed to address a wide range of shipboard, hull, mechanical, and electrical (HM&E) equipment needs for surface ships and aircraft carriers. The overarching goal is to maintain or improve fleet readiness, safety, reliability, and operational efficiency by procuring and installing equipment that does not fall into specific major procurement categories. This line item supports program alterations during Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and Fleet availabilities, fulfills fleet requisitions resulting from equipment casualties and attrition, provides technical refresh upgrades, and replaces obsolete systems. The program also ensures compliance with the Coordinated Shipboard Allowance List (COSAL) and supports the sustainment of ship classes throughout their operational life cycles.

The Machinery Alteration (MACHALT) Program focuses on the identification, procurement, and installation of HM&E internal equipment and system improvements on in-service surface ships. MACHALT serves as a turn-key modernization vehicle, supplying all required engineering, equipment, logistics, installation, management, tracking, reporting, scheduling, special tools, and Ship's Force training. The program prioritizes mandatory safety and statutory changes, component-level installations addressing operational risks, general safety improvements, and obsolescence mitigation. Funding in FY 2026 accelerates the installation of Automatic Lube Oil Pump and Automatic Hydraulic Oil Pump flexible shaft pump couplings, particularly on DDG-51 class ships, to enhance reliability and prevent gear and bearing damage during electrical power loss.

Carrier Oil Water Separator funding supports the installation of enhanced Oil Water Separator systems on CVN68 Class carriers to meet international environmental discharge standards for oil content. These systems include advanced oil content monitors and bilge stripping structures, aiming to reduce maintenance costs and improve reliability. Installations are scheduled to be completed in FY 2024, ensuring that all in-service carriers are equipped to comply with evolving environmental regulations and minimize operational disruptions due to equipment failures.

Modular Refrigeration System funding replaces legacy Ship's Stores Refrigeration Systems on CVN68 Class carriers with modern, energy- and space-efficient Modular Refrigeration Units. Each unit is self-contained, hatchable, and equipped with dedicated control panels, which reduces maintenance requirements and operator training needs. This modernization addresses obsolescence and high maintenance costs associated with specialized hardware, ensuring reliable temperature control for shipboard stores and improving overall operational efficiency.

CVN Cybersecurity and CVN 78 Class Modernization initiatives are focused on enhancing the security and technological capabilities of aircraft carriers. The cybersecurity program develops and installs Ship Change Documents for boundary defense, situational awareness, and physical security, updating hardware and software to meet Department of Defense cyber requirements and improve defense-in-depth. The CVN 78 Class Modernization funds contractor-furnished equipment upgrades, including radar capacitor banks, waste management systems, control system upgrades, and aviation support enhancements, ensuring carriers remain operationally relevant and compliant with current standards.

CVN Training and Equipment provides funding for spare equipment, propulsion shafts, and propellers with long repair turnaround times, supporting a shift from inspection and repair to a remove-and-replace maintenance philosophy. This approach reduces schedule risk during CNO maintenance periods and supports technology refreshes in carrier machine shops. The program also replaces obsolete training test equipment in Navy schools and procures state-of-the-art, mobile instructional facilities to support Sailor 2025 and Ready Relevant Learning initiatives.

Carrier Production Engineering ensures the technical integrity and supportability of production contracts by reviewing and developing documentation such as technical manuals, maintenance systems, production drawings, and provisioning data. This engineering support is critical for final design reviews and the successful implementation of modernization projects. The LI 0981 line item provides targeted investments in shipboard systems and equipment, supporting Navy readiness, safety, compliance, and modernization objectives across multiple ship classes and operational domains.