BUILDING SHIPS AS A SYSTEM - AN APPROACH TO TOTAL SHIP INTEGRATION

This paper considers an effort to reinvent the process by which the Na vy transforms operational requirements into warships. The objective is to articulate a framework and strategy for implementing a total ship system engineering approach. Three factors drive the effort: involve t he warfighters in the design process; adopt a ''system of systems'' fr amework for integration; and continually improve the acquisition proce ss. The strategy is illustrated by consideration of control structure on a total ship basis. The work has been conducted as a collaborative effort involving three Navy warfare centers and various headquarters a ctivities in Washington, D.C.