Navy probes commercial ship operators for repair tips.

• Author: Jean, Grace V.
• Position: Navy

In its quest to preserve and prolong the life of its surface ships, the Navy is seeking to take advantage of technologies and practices resident in the commercial shipping world.

Navy officials have held discussions with Honeywell, which provides distance support and parts management for the aircraft industry, and with Maersk, a global shipping firm.

"I firmly believe that industry has initiatives ... in technology and management that I want to take full advantage of," says Rear Adm. James McManamon, deputy commander for surface warfare at Naval Sea Systems Command.

Commercial companies employ sensors and other remote monitoring systems to track problems aboard ships and aircraft. Repair information is relayed to logistics support facilities that send parts so that crews can fix them as quickly as possible.

Newer vessels, such as the littoral combat ship, are being equipped with similar computers that monitor the...