Review of Performance Based Logistics Type Contracting Efforts to Improve Supportability of the Seawolf Class Submarine

This thesis examines the effectiveness of the application of Performance Based Logistics (PBL) type contracting efforts to improve product support for the Seawolf class submarine. The study presents a literary review of the history of the Seawolf program, as well as an overall review of the PBL process within the Department of Defense (DoD). Overall, the reduction in the class of ships from an original projection of thirty total to three total coupled with potentially incomplete allowance computation models to create logistics support challenges for Seawolf. Those challenges were addressed in various ways, including the cannibalization of Prospective Commissions Unit (PCU) JIMMY CARTER (SSN-23) to support the two operational units. But, this proved a costly and risky proposition. The Navy worked with Electric Boat Corporation (EBC) and developed a PBL type effort to improve logistics support for Seawolf. That effort has been largely successful in improving Supply Material Availability (SMA) and overall logistics support for the Seawolf class submarine.