Original Date: 05/20/2002
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Maintenance and Logistics Command-Pacific developed a consolidated Cutter Class Maintenance Plan that gives the Command the visibility and flexibility needed to perform consistent and effective maintenance on U.S. Coast Guard cutters. This plan allows for better decision making, planning, and budgeting of maintenance functions and dollars.

The U.S. Coast Guard is faced with many problems in keeping its fleet underway in today’s environment. Decreasing funding, an aging fleet, increasing fleet complexity, increasing environmental costs, and fleet inexperience are just some of the problems being faced. In an effort to overcome some of these restrictions, the Naval Engineering Division of the Maintenance and Logistics Command-Pacific (MLCPAC) took on an ambitious effort to standardize the maintenance plans for all cutters within a given class and like equipment on various classes. This standardized maintenance plan not only affects the cutters within the Command but within the entire U.S. Coast Guard.

Previous to this undertaking, maintenance plans existed for each cutter, but were never consolidated into one centralized document that identified all of the maintenance requirements for hull, mechanical, and electrical systems on each cutter. Different levels of maintenance are required on each system and at different time intervals. Some maintenance items are purely unit (field) level items and are accomplished by the cutter crew, while other items are depot level and frequently contracted out to shipyards to perform. Typically, most maintenance was time based, and previous plans were not clear as to who performed each maintenance function. Shortcomings of the old system included over-maintaining some systems and under-maintaining others. The system did not encourage the most efficient or cost-effective maintenance means.

In 1999, MLCPAC organized all of its maintenance systems into Cutter Class Maintenance Plans (CCMPs). These CCMPs clearly spell out all of the details of the cutter class maintenance such as: the piece of equipment or system on the cutter; the component; work description; when to perform the maintenance (routine preventive maintenance by cutter crew, drydock, or dockside); funding source for the maintenance; maintenance driver (time versus condition); and maintenance levels (organizational, intermediate, or depot).

This new system generates many benefits, and since 2001 is in use throughout both Coast Guard commands (MLCPAC and Maintenance and Logistics Command-Atlantic). With a common and consolidated maintenance plan, personnel moving from one coast to the other no longer have to adapt to differing maintenance philosophies. Maintenance is now more consistent and performed when necessary, not just because it is scheduled, enabling better budgeting of maintenance dollars. Visibility of maintenance requirements has increased since the database is available via the Coast Guard Intranet, clear lines of responsibility for maintenance functions are available, and centralized decision-making is now available on maintenance policies and procedures. The new CCMP is flexible, versatile, and meets the constantly changing needs of the Coast Guard.

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