Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: crowl@cs.rochester.edu (Lawrence Crowl) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Are Warships Over-Manned? Message-ID: <1990Nov29.004354.21100@cbnews.att.com> Date: 29 Nov 90 00:43:54 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: University of Rochester Computer Science Department Lines: 50 Approved: military@att.att.com From: crowl@cs.rochester.edu (Lawrence Crowl) Many of the descriptions of warships posted to this group read like: 2 engines, 4 missle launchers, 1 cannon, 1 radar, 1 sonar, 300 men What are all those men doing? The ships seem grossly over-manned for their capabilities. This imbalance appears to worsen as the ship size increases. I cannot see a need for more than 50 men on a ship, unless it carries aircraft (including helicopters). The jobs I can imagine are: commander (whoever is in charge for the shift), helm, weapons control (2), weapons loading (2), radar/sonar operators (2), cook, and janitor This is 10 men, for 3 shifts, plus the captain, giving 31 men. I'll add another 6 men per shift, just because I'm sure I'm missing something. That gives 49 men. Make it 50, just because round numbers are more scientific :-). I'm still way below what the ships carry. Yes, I know you may need fire fighting and damage control, but in battle you can call on the other two shifts to perform these duties. Most of the time, the ship will not be in battle. The benefits of smaller crews (for the same capability) are substantial. - There are fewer men between the captain and the hardware. - The command structure should react faster. - The ships can be substantially smaller. - The ship is more maneuverable and therefore harder to hit. - The navy can have more ships for a fixed budget. - You can loose a larger number of ships and still have a fleet. - You can "show the flag" to more places at less cost. Of coarse, we cannot ignore the political effect within the navy. - Each command involves fewer men, and is therefore less prestigous. - You have more command opportunities for officers. - You may have a higher officer to enlisted ratio. Are current ships over-manned? If ships are not over-manned today, can we reduce the manpower requirements for future warships through automation and proper systems design? -- Lawrence Crowl 716-275-9499 University of Rochester crowl@cs.rochester.edu Computer Science Department ...!rutgers!rochester!crowl Rochester, New York, 14627