Spares and Repair Parts

The VIRGINIA Class (VACL) Spares and Repair Parts program is a dedicated line item within the Navy's Other Procurement, Navy (OPN) appropriation, specifically under Budget Activity 08: Spares and Repair Parts. Established as a new program line in FY 2024, its primary goal is to address persistent challenges related to the timely execution of Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) maintenance availabilities for the VIRGINIA Class submarine fleet. The program is designed to ensure that necessary materials are available to support maintenance and repair activities, thereby improving the operational readiness and availability of these critical assets.

The main objective of the VACL Spares and Repair Parts line is to provide funding for the procurement of materials required during CNO availabilities, which include Extended Dry-Dock Selected Restricted Availabilities (EDSRA) and Depot Maintenance Periods (DMP) for all VIRGINIA Class submarines. The program supports the material ordering process, which is managed by the Ship Availability Planning and Engineering Center (SHAPEC) and executed through the Navy Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The intent is to ensure both mandatory and contingent materials are procured in advance, reducing delays caused by long industrial base lead times.

Historically, the Navy's approach to ordering contingent materials for VACL maintenance was to wait until after the start of an availability, once open and inspect procedures had been conducted. This practice resulted in a significant portion of required materials being ordered after work had already commenced, leading to substantial delays due to extended lead times for many components. In contrast, older submarine classes benefited from a more mature supply chain and better sustainment planning, which minimized such issues.

Following a 2022 critique directed by the Program Executive Office for Submarines (PEO SSN), several root causes for material shortages were identified, including misaligned funding and procurement processes, as well as insufficient industrial base capacity to meet short-notice requirements. As a result, the VACL Material Strategy was developed, with a key recommendation to align funding and supply chain processes to optimize material availability and support timely maintenance execution. This strategy is directly supported by the OPN funding provided through this budget line.

To enhance forecasting and procurement accuracy, the program leverages the iForecast Material Tool, a software solution that uses actual usage data and projected requirements to generate a multi-year forecast for material needs. This tool is complemented by a Bill of Material (BOM) process, which documents material usage from past and current availabilities to refine future forecasts. The BOM encompasses items from various repair programs and other depot-level repairables, ensuring a comprehensive approach to material planning.

The combination of the iForecast tool and the BOM process allows the Navy to phase funding more effectively and procure materials in advance, rather than waiting until after maintenance has begun. This proactive approach is expected to reduce the impact of procurement lead times, improve the depth of available stock, and support more efficient scheduling of long lead time materials. The program aims to increase the operational availability of the VIRGINIA Class submarine fleet, supporting strategic requirements, force protection, and intelligence-gathering missions as demanded by combatant commanders.