Old Model
- Long neglect between upgrades
- Large mid-life overhaul shocks
- Fleet splits into incompatible generations
- Urgent fixes become budget emergencies
Program Rule
Forced Refit Is a Feature, Not a Burden
TriSeadon rejects the idea that ships should be built, left alone for decades, and then rescued by a giant mid-life overhaul. The fleet is supposed to stay current through scheduled, enforced refit windows that keep systems advancing without stopping production or creating obsolete subclasses. The standard 60-month refit has a 90-day authorized planning window containing a detailed 74-day work schedule and a 16-day margin for delay, rework, weather, retest, and return-to-service work. A major refit is an exception and may take longer.
Core rule: every hull enters the standard 60-month refit on a planned 5-year cadence. This is the only scheduled refit cycle. A major refit is an exception event used when an IWM, IMM, or gas-turbine sled must be replaced because of approved upgrade, malfunction, battle damage, casualty, or failure.
Why It Matters
Keeps ships advanced: sensors, EW, energy systems, software, unmanned-control systems, and weapon modules update on schedule instead of waiting for crisis-driven fixes.
Prevents orphan classes: older flights do not become stranded one-off variants because upgrades are built into the lifecycle from the start.
Controls cost: regular shorter modernization windows are easier to budget than rare, massive overhaul shocks.
Protects production: the fleet keeps building while older ships rotate through refit lanes rather than forcing a halt for redesign.
Supports combat credibility: no ship is allowed to drift too far behind in sensors, networks, survivability, or weapons handling.
Refit Schedule Lock
| Rule | Locked Baseline |
|---|---|
| Standard refit cadence | Every 5 years after commissioning |
| Major refit definition | Exception-only yard event for IWM, IMM, or GT sled replacement tied to upgrade, malfunction, damage, casualty, or failure |
| Typical standard refit duration | 90-day authorized planning window: 74-day detailed work schedule plus 16-day margin for delay, rework, weather, retest, and return-to-service work |
| Upgrade method | Block/refit insertion through IWMs, IMMs, software, sensors, power modules, and selected propulsion updates, with full diesel, pod, and battery replacement on the 60-month cycle |
| Production-award freeze | No stakeholder or capability change after award; improvements roll to the next hull, lot, flight, or standard 60-month refit. Verified corrective action is controlled separately and cannot be used to add capability. |
| Technology insertion cap | No more than 3 major new technologies per hull flight or revision cycle |
| Mission-module rule | IWM and IMM changes during build, the standard 60-month refit, or exception major refit when the ship is actually changing weapon or mission modules; ISO modules remain port-swappable |
What Happens During Refit
- IWM changes: guns, VLS paths, APMs, DEW packages, and other heavy combat inserts are swapped in the scheduled 60-month refit or in an exception major refit when upgrade, failure, or damage requires it.
- IMM changes: ASW, mine, medical, RHIB/SOF, VDS, reload, or unmanned-heavy mission modules are reconfigured during the standard 60-month refit or an exception major refit when the ship is actually changing mission package or recovering from failure or damage.
- Combat-system updates: radar, EW, software, sensor fusion, DMC control improvements, and full ONE Consul refresh can be inserted without reopening the whole ship concept.
- ATLAS update rule: berthing furnishings, partitions, stowage, lighting, data fittings, and other qualified outfit components can be renewed during refit. Fixed compartments, bulkheads, service trunks, heads, food-service spaces, ship-service spaces, and damage-control lockers remain in place unless an approved structural alteration is required.
- Energy upgrades: battery growth, cooling upgrades, power-routing changes, and pod-conversion decisions are made on disciplined block timelines.
- Scheduled machinery exchange: all Odyssey pods, all Fairbanks Morse PA6B STC diesel generators, and all PRIME battery modules are replaced at the standard 60-month refit with rebuilt or refurbished fleet-standard units.
- Gas-turbine rule: LM2500+G4 gas-turbine generators are also sled-mounted interchangeable units, but GT sled replacement is treated as a major-refit-level action because access is deeper, not direct from the main deck, and usually tied to upgrade, malfunction, damage, or failure.
- Class-specific growth: FFG emphasizes ASW quieting and unmanned sensing, DDG emphasizes AAW/DEW and future Navy-certified counter-hypersonic integration, and CAG emphasizes command, air detachment, strike, and heavy-weapon growth.
Standard 60-Month Refit Sequence
- Step 1 | Inspection and detachment pull-off: the ship enters the refit checklist, flight teams and all embarked detachments come off first, and mission-specific attachments are cleared before industrial strip-down starts.
- Step 2 | Magazine and weapons offload: all ammunition, missiles, torpedoes, bullets, and other ordnance are unloaded before major removal work begins and replaced later by verified, checked, and tested inventory.
- Step 3 | ISO pier strip: the ship shifts to the ISO or modular offload pier where ISO modules are removed and top-deck removable combat systems such as Cerberus-mounted CIWS, DEW, and RAM packages are taken off the ship for test, service, recertification, and later reissue.
- Step 4 | Personnel and belongings offload: the ship then goes pier-side for full crew offload, and all personal gear is moved to support housing or a dedicated berthing barge for the duration of yard work.
- Step 5 | Boat and unmanned-system removal: all boats, UAVs, UUVs, USVs, and other embarked off-board systems are removed before the ship enters drydock and replaced later by checked and certified fleet inventory.
- Step 6 | Pre-drydock strip window: the baseline planning window for this pre-drydock offload and strip phase is about 7 days when the yard flow is functioning properly.
- Step 7 | Drydock and hull work: in drydock the Odyssey pods are removed, the underwater body is scraped, inspected, sealed, primed, and painted, and other below-waterline repair items are completed. Baseline planning window: about 30 days in drydock.
- Step 8 | Diesel-generator exchange: through the side boat-house or garage hatches, the Fairbanks Morse PA6B STC diesel generator sleds are removed and replaced with refurbished fleet-standard units.
- Step 9 | Pod replacement: refurbished Odyssey pods are installed in place of the removed units, restoring the ship to the fleet-standard propulsion baseline.
- Step 10 | Reassembly after float-out: once the ship is floated again, the reverse installation sequence begins and the removed components, modules, weapons packages, craft, and support systems are reinstalled from verified inventory. Baseline planning window: about 7 days.
- Step 11 | Fit-and-finish verification: after reassembly and before sea trials, the ship remains pier-side for detailed fit, finish, alignment, hookup, and dockside systems checks. Baseline planning window: about 5 days.
- Step 12 | Sea trials and qualification: the ship then conducts post-refit sea trials, testing, and qualification events to verify propulsion, combat systems, aviation support, command spaces, and mission systems. Baseline planning window: about 10 days.
- Step 13 | Final correction window: after trials, the ship returns for final fix, realignment, adjustment, and closeout work before it is set back to duty. Baseline planning window: about 15 days.
- Step 14 | Rebuild loop: removed pods, diesel generators, batteries, Cerberus payloads, boats, UxVs, and other standardized modules are pushed back into the DLA and regional-yard rebuild system for inspection, testing, certification, repair, repaint, maintenance, and later reissue.
Operating logic: the whole sequence is built around repair-by-replacement where possible. The ship comes out of refit with fleet-standard verified replacement components, weapons, craft, and modules. Removed items do not go straight back into service; they enter a controlled DLA rebuild and certification loop, are fixed or rebuilt as needed, repainted and maintained, and only then return to inventory for future installation. In planning terms this standard sequence is 74 days inside a 90-day authorized window, with 16 days reserved for delay, rework, weather, retest, and return-to-service margin. If IWM, IMM, or GT-sled replacement grows beyond that baseline because of upgrade, damage, malfunction, casualty, or failure, the ship enters an exception major refit that may take longer.
Why Forced Refit Beats the Old Model
TriSeadon Model
- Predictable 5-year modernization rhythm
- Shorter, scheduled yard periods
- Common interfaces preserve cross-flight compatibility
- Ships stay relevant without halting production