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CARTECH Looks to Future for CVN 21 -- Commonality Across the Fleet

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030820-05

Release Date: 8/20/2003 2:01:00 PM

By Kevin Sykes, Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Major aircraft carrier technology transition and transformation efforts can now be conducted in a more active and continuous manner, through a new technology management process called CARTECH.

Established by the Chief of Naval Operations (N78) and the Naval Sea Systems Command's Program Executive Office for Aircraft Carriers (PEO Aircraft Carriers), CARTECH advances the future carrier program (CVN 21) technology requirements, while also accommodating the interdependencies of a demanding technology base for in-service aircraft carriers.

CARTECH will address innovative technologies for future aircraft carrier capabilities; allow the Navy to more aggressively insert technology into the fleet's aircraft carrier assets; and promote the effective capitalization of Science and Technology (S&T) and Research and Development (R&D) investments.

Just as the Virginia-class submarine's major design and technology efforts led to the genesis of NAVSEA's successful Submarine Technology (SUBTECH) process in 1997, the concentration on CVN 21's products will be the initial basis for CARTECH's efforts.

A coordinated and integrated CARTECH strategic plan, modeled after strategic plans from SUBTECH, will be developed to increase technology insertion rates.

"The CARTECH strategic plan will be a compendium of roadmaps that track technology evolution from the S&T phase, through R&D, and into the acquisition phase," said Dr. Charles Milligan, chief of technology for PEO Carriers. "The first draft of this core plan shall be completed by September 2003 and will document recommended S&T and R&D investment strategies that integrate, align and prioritize technology investments, and take into consideration the needs of existing acquisition programs, in-service carriers and CVN 21."

According to Milligan, the success of CARTECH will depend on close coordination and cooperation among PEO Aircraft Carriers, Office of Naval Research, OPNAV, Commander, Fleet Forces Command and Commander, Naval Air Forces, as well as non-Navy resources, such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and industry.

"CARTECH will identify synergies and areas for cooperative development with other platform technology efforts. Additionally, opportunities for collaboration will be pursued with SUBTECH and NAVSEA's evolving Surface Ship Technology program SURFTECH," Milligan said.

CARTECH's charter indicates that its initial organizational structure will employ a three-tiered decision hierarchy, to identify, evaluate and recommend technology insertion priorities based on CVN 21 and in-service carrier transformation objectives. All products will be prepared and maintained by CARTECH support staff under direction of the flag chaired IPT, co-chaired by PEO Aircraft Carriers and OPNAV N78. A Future Studies Group will be assembled to augment CARTECH.

To round out the initial CARTECH organizational structure, five working groups representing survivability, aviation systems, warfare systems, future weapons and ship systems will develop and manage integrated plans, to expeditiously move technology into the acquisition and production environments, and ensure alignment with the Chief of Naval Operations' "Sea Power 21" vision, by interaction with applicable OPNAV N6/N7's Naval Capability Pillar teams. As CARTECH evolves, new working groups may be initiated while some may stand down.