Transitioning New Capabilities to the Fleet - Serial 006

Team,
The ability of a ship, submarine, aircraft, weapon system, information system or piece of equipment to perform to design specification is a fundamental element of the Fleet's operational readiness. We significantly disadvantage our Sailors and risk mission success when we accept the delivery of substandard performance or unsustainable programs (i.e., programs delivered with unresolved performance, manning, training and logistics support issues).

Accordingly, the attached Transitioning New Capabilities to the Fleet Serial (006) focuses on our responsibility to ensure new and modernized capabilities delivered to the Fleet can IMMEDIATELY contribute to the Navy's mission. It is also our responsibility to ensure the manpower, training and support systems required by our Sailors to sustain operational readiness through expected service life are IN PLACE AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING when Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is declared.

Successful system and platform delivery to the Fleet will require our single-minded focus on the product and not the long, complex acquisition process. Success will also require a standardized Fleet introduction process that ensures we ADHERE TO ESTABLISHED POLICY, rigorously assess a new capability BEFORE we accept it, and provide a formal Fleet recommendation to CNO whether he should accept any request to deliver or place in active status a ship, submarine, aircraft, weapon system, or piece of equipment.

All the best, JCHjr