Launching Distance Support Solutions
As the Navy has reduced crew sizes aboard ships to support Optimum Manning of legacy platforms and new ship classes, one approach has been to move workload ashore using Distance Support (DS). This is only the initial step as true Distance Support is the Navy’s initiative to comprehensively consider how to meet mission goals by combining people, processes and technology into a collaborative infrastructure, without respect to geographic location.
CHALLENGE:
Components that must be addressed in order to meet the DS need include: Logistics, maintenance, modernization and manpower. Needs must be merged into a predictive method that will still ensure the right readiness at the right time, and within the right cost.
SOLUTION:
McKean’s engineers and analysts understand these challenges from a hardware, technology, and process vantage. Based on our shipboard experiences, we have been able to propose strategies, and back these up with business cases analyses that validate the rollout of new processes and technologies. Our efforts have also included leading senior Navy personnel in strategy sessions resulting in new operational charters for DS.
SUCCESS:
We have been crucial to the Navy in reviewing DS software applications and providing technical feedback that has shaped future releases that better serve the fleet. Many of McKean’s DS recommendations are already in use today on LCS ships.