Surface Combatant HM&E

The Surface Combatant HM&E program is a key line item in the Navy's Other Procurement budget, focused on the procurement and modernization of Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E) systems for in-service surface combatants and amphibious ships. The program's primary objective is to ensure the operational readiness and sustainability of the fleet by addressing critical shipboard equipment needs, supporting regular overhauls, and facilitating selected restricted availabilities. It encompasses a range of initiatives, including technology refreshes, system upgrades, energy efficiency improvements, and the provision of battle spares for rapid repair and recovery.

GB001 - CG/DDG COTS Tech Refresh targets the periodic replacement and modernization of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components within HM&E systems, particularly in response to Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS). This line funds solutions such as reverse engineering, bridge-buys, life-of-type buys, and system redesigns to maintain fleet supportability. The goal is to ensure that critical machinery control systems and ship control systems remain operational and sustainable, even as commercial vendors phase out legacy products or material shortages arise.

GB002 - Class Common Equipment (CCE) provides Ready-For-Issue (RFI) systems and equipment to support industrial availabilities and replace major system components that sustain battle damage or major failure. CCE assets are procured and stored to enable quick backfit upgrades and emergent maintenance during short availability windows, minimizing delays caused by lengthy repair or acquisition lead times. The program also includes insurance assets long lead time HM&E equipment ensuring that both CG and DDG class ships can be rapidly repaired and returned to mission readiness.

GB003 - Ship Control Systems (Surface Ship Modernization) funds the procurement and installation of Ship Control Systems (SCS) upgrades for cruisers and destroyers under the Fleet Modernization Program. This includes lifecycle support for both legacy and modernized engineering controls, equipment procurement for ship changes, and support for Land Based Engineering Sites (LBES). The line also covers software licenses for HM&E COTS systems, supporting critical systems such as Machinery Control Systems, Integrated Bridge Systems, and Digital Video Surveillance. Installation efforts are tailored to individual ship configurations and may occur outside standard Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) availabilities.

GB004 - Maritime Energy Initiatives focuses on technologies and tools that reduce energy consumption aboard surface combatants, enhancing operational capabilities by extending time on-station and reducing refueling needs. Key areas include hull and hydrodynamics improvements, power generation and transmission system upgrades, combat and ship systems support services, and decision aids for energy management. Projects include the Shipboard Energy Dashboard FLT IIA, which provides real-time situational awareness of energy demand, and the implementation of Variable Speed Drives (VSD) and Thermal Management Control Systems (TMCS) to optimize HVAC performance and reduce electrical loads.

GB005 - HM&E Condition System is designed to implement a Defense-in-Depth Functional Implementation Architecture (DFIA) for HM&E systems, meeting Information Assurance Technical Authority Board (IA TAB) standards. The system monitors network signals between HM&E systems and other functional domains, providing the ability to protect, detect, react, and restore operations in contested environments. This enhances the cybersecurity and resilience of shipboard HM&E infrastructure.

Additional line items include GB443 - Bridge Integration - Ship Control Systems (BI-SCS), which addresses recommendations from the Navy's Comprehensive Review and OPNAV N9 Top Level Requirements for bridge standardization and integration. This includes adding physical throttles, voyage data recorders, night vision enhancements, and transitioning to government-owned software for steering and propulsion control. GB008 - DDG-51 Flight III Unique System Battle Spares funds the procurement of critical spares unique to the Flight III configuration, enabling rapid repairs in the event of battle damage. These investments support the Navy's goals of fleet readiness, modernization, energy efficiency, and operational resilience.