3 ms·

> They did not keep up this training for the digital age, and its a shame because on a modern naval ship almost everything is done via computer control and the

> They did not keep up this training for the digital age, and its a shame because on a modern naval ship almost everything is done via computer control and the current training is swap out the digital parts if anything breaks. I have a fair bit of experience with this from the civilian contractor side. The main problem with these modern Line Replaceable Modules (LRMs) and Line Replaceable Units (LRUs)[1] is that they require specialized tooling and equipment to properly troubleshoot, repair/rework, and test. They also each require some parts that are specific to the LRM/LRU. Shipboard technicians could be given the training to do the work (mostly), but there would be no space for all the other physical elements required to actually do it. At first the DOD pushed all this back on the contractors (any failed LRM/LRU was shipped back to the factory), but when I left that world they were moving towards a model where branch depots could receive the failed LRM/LRU, test it, and perform basic repair/rework without contractor intervention; they would only ship the hairy cases back. That's about as good as they can get, because it just in feasible or cost effective to spread that capability out to every base and ship around the world. [1] Those are Air Force terms, but the Navy as similar concepts.

jki275 6y ago
Navy CVNs have micro miniature repair shops onboard, and no Depot level repairable leaves the ship without screening by them to see if they can repair it. They have a significant incentive to do so, as the money they save is something they can take credit for, and the ship's budget is significantly helped out by their repairs.
- dkhenry 6y ago
  Here is what I saw with both this and the Parent's comment about LRU's, and this is in the context of the CVN's where I did my work. Every vendor uses something different ( count how many flat panel computer model's are on a CVN ) so instead of being able to swap the hard drives or PSU on a embedded PC you throw the whole thing out and replace it. Same goes for most control hardware. There may be dozens of independent control systems using pretty much every vendor of controller. I would love to see the IC's be able to rebuild any control system underway and re-program it, like they could do with the old analog based systems.
  - jki275 6y ago
    Oh, nobody would be repairing flat screen monitors (though I replaced CRTs while I was in), but get into radars and fire control systems and servos and such and those definitely get repaired onboard. When the choice is replace a 50 cent resistor or send the module off and wait six months for a spare that costs the ship half a million bucks, you better believe people get the job done. I owned the 2M shop on a CVN for a while. We repaired millions of dollars worth of equipment.
- jkhdigital 6y ago
  I still list a bullet point on my resume of the approximate dollar value of all the equipment I repaired myself during the ~3 years I was stationed in the calibration lab on a CVN. My favorite is the $20k precision power sensor standard that I troubleshooted down to a single transistor which cost a couple bucks to replace. I’ll add that on my ship, the “screening” you speak of was most often performed by the cal lab, since we were the only ones trained in component-level repair on general electronics. The 2M shop just did the soldering for us ;-)
  - jki275 6y ago
    LOL, the constant AT/ET rivalry.
  - rwmurrayVT 6y ago
    And that's how you retire and go to work at an AIT :-)
- wsh 6y ago
  The manual of basic repair techniques used in these shops has been approved for public release; see Standard Maintenance Practices, Miniature/Microminiature (2M) Electronic Assembly Repair, published here as an Air Force technical order: https://www.robins.af.mil/Portals/59/documents/technicalorders/00-25-259.pdf https://www.robins.af.mil/Portals/59/documents/technicalorde... Most of the procedures, tools, and materials would be equally applicable to commercial or hobby work.

jki275 6y ago

Navy CVNs have micro miniature repair shops onboard, and no Depot level repairable leaves the ship without screening by them to see if they can repair it. They have a significant incentive to do so, as the money they save is something they can take credit for, and the ship's budget is significantly helped out by their repairs.

dkhenry 6y ago
Here is what I saw with both this and the Parent's comment about LRU's, and this is in the context of the CVN's where I did my work. Every vendor uses something different ( count how many flat panel computer model's are on a CVN ) so instead of being able to swap the hard drives or PSU on a embedded PC you throw the whole thing out and replace it. Same goes for most control hardware. There may be dozens of independent control systems using pretty much every vendor of controller. I would love to see the IC's be able to rebuild any control system underway and re-program it, like they could do with the old analog based systems.
- jki275 6y ago
  Oh, nobody would be repairing flat screen monitors (though I replaced CRTs while I was in), but get into radars and fire control systems and servos and such and those definitely get repaired onboard. When the choice is replace a 50 cent resistor or send the module off and wait six months for a spare that costs the ship half a million bucks, you better believe people get the job done. I owned the 2M shop on a CVN for a while. We repaired millions of dollars worth of equipment.
jkhdigital 6y ago
I still list a bullet point on my resume of the approximate dollar value of all the equipment I repaired myself during the ~3 years I was stationed in the calibration lab on a CVN. My favorite is the $20k precision power sensor standard that I troubleshooted down to a single transistor which cost a couple bucks to replace. I’ll add that on my ship, the “screening” you speak of was most often performed by the cal lab, since we were the only ones trained in component-level repair on general electronics. The 2M shop just did the soldering for us ;-)
- jki275 6y ago
  LOL, the constant AT/ET rivalry.
- rwmurrayVT 6y ago
  And that's how you retire and go to work at an AIT :-)
wsh 6y ago
The manual of basic repair techniques used in these shops has been approved for public release; see Standard Maintenance Practices, Miniature/Microminiature (2M) Electronic Assembly Repair, published here as an Air Force technical order: https://www.robins.af.mil/Portals/59/documents/technicalorders/00-25-259.pdf https://www.robins.af.mil/Portals/59/documents/technicalorde... Most of the procedures, tools, and materials would be equally applicable to commercial or hobby work.