Original Date: 04/29/2002
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Maintenance and Logistics Command-Atlantic’s new Cutter Class Maintenance Plan eliminated inconsistencies across the Fleet, provided new tools for tracking maintenance activities to study the effectiveness of existing policies, and allowed flexibility to test new technology to implement condition based maintenance.

The Maintenance and Logistics Command-Atlantic’s (MLCLANT’s) Cutter Class Maintenance Plan (CCMP) was developed for Maintenance Policy Guidance and establishes the best and most cost effective maintenance procedures. The CCMP identifies funding responsibilities and defines unit responsibility for completing the maintenance and establishing the maintenance cycle. Under previous versions of the CCMP, cutter classes were independent of one another which created maintenance policy inconsistencies. Different versions of the CCMP existed between the Pacific and Atlantic Commands, and more recurring maintenance was performed because unnecessary work was scheduled. Tracking tools were also poor which made maintenance difficult to manage.

In 2001, the MLCLANT’s new CCMP was introduced which allowed all cutter classes to be consistent and contained in one file. The new CCMP is easier to modify, making it more responsive to improvement initiatives. Both Pacific and Atlantic Commands now work with the same CCMP. This has resulted in a better maintenance policy and integration of better practices being used by both Commands. Personnel moving from coast to coast need not adapt to different maintenance philosophies. The Engineering Logistics Command manages and maintains the new CCMP. The new CCMP enables tracking of deferred maintenance, and if a maintenance item is deferred twice, the maintenance policy is reviewed to determine whether a change is necessary. Under the new CCMP, an annual review of maintenance policies is conducted, and implementation of new condition based monitoring systems is considered during these reviews.

The CCMP is used in conjunction with the Fleet Logistics System (FLS) for budgeting. The FLS provides access to the Naval Engineering Planning Listing, Casualty Reports data analysis, and Current Ship Maintenance Projects (CSMPs).

The U.S. Coast Guard is changing from a time-based maintenance policy to Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), and has partially implemented CBM in selected cutter classes. CBM sometimes requires special training, tools, and analysis skills. Training in A and C schools is being modified, and a long-term plan with goals that includes providing training and equipment to the intermediate level maintenance teams has been developed. CBM application can be expanded when annual CCMP reviews are completed to include other cutter classes. MLCLANT realized many benefits from CBM including eliminating unnecessary overhaul of vents, deferring vent duct cleaning with vent duct inspections, and reducing labor from 96 to four hours for clutch inspections.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.