NASA HQ SS Brief

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SUBMARINE SAFETY PROGRAM
Presented by Al Ford Deputy Director, SUBSAFE
and Quality Assurance (SEA 07QB)
USS ALASKA SSBN-732 with USS MCKEE AS-41
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Agenda

• History
• Program Overview
• Organizational Relationships
• Certification Relationships

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History
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USS VIRGINIA SSN 774
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Why do we have this program? THRESHER Video
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On April 10, 1963, while engaged in a deep test
dive, approximately 200 miles off the
northeastern coast of the United States, the
U.S.S. Thresher, (SSN-593), was lost at sea with
all persons aboard - 112 naval personnel and 17
civilians.
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SUBSAFE Program Inception

• BUSHIPS letter Ser 525-0462 of 20 December 1963
• SUBJ Submarine Safety Certification Criterion
• Provided the basic foundation and structure of
  the program that is still in place today
• Design Requirements
• Initial SUBSAFE Certification Requirements and
  Process
• Certification Continuity Requirements and Process

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Submarine Safety (SUBSAFE) Requirements Manual

• Administrative
• Technical
• Unique Design
• Material Control
• Fabrication

• Testing
• Maintenance Control
• Certification
• Audits

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Program Overview
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The SUBSAFE Program is a Program of

• Work Discipline
• - Knowledge
• - Compliance
• Material Control
• - Correct Material Installed Correctly
• Documentation
• Design Products
• Objective Quality Evidence (OQE)

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SUBSAFE Program Purpose

• The purpose of the SUBSAFE Program is to provide
  maximum reasonable assurance of
• Hull integrity to preclude flooding, and
• The operability and integrity of critical systems
  and components to control and recover from a
  flooding casualty

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How is Maximum Reasonable Assurance Achieved?

• By initially certifying that each submarine meets
  SUBSAFE requirements upon delivery to the Navy
• By maintaining SUBSAFE certification throughout
  the life of the submarine

USS CHICAGO SSN-721
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SUBSAFE Certification Boundary

• SUBSAFE Certification is performed within the
  SUBSAFE Boundary
• The SUBSAFE Certification Boundary consists of
  the structure, systems, and components critical
  to the water tight integrity and recovery
  capability of the ship
• Defined in the SUBSAFE Manual
• Depicted in SUBSAFE Certification Boundary Books

USS COLUMBUS SSN-762
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Certify

• To confirm formally as true, accurate, or genuine
• To guarantee as meeting a standard
• To assure or make certain

USS SEAWOLF SSN-21
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SUBSAFE Certification

• Assures that SUBSAFE requirements have been met
• Provides a disciplined process and structured
  sequence of events leading to sea trial and
  authorization for unrestricted operations

USS BUFFALO SSN-715
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Certification is based on Objective Quality
Evidence (OQE)

• OQE is any statement of fact, either
  quantitative or qualitative, pertaining to the
  quality of a product or service based on
  observations, measurements, or tests which can be
  verified.
• OQE provides evidence that deliberate steps
  were taken to comply with requirements

USS TENNESSEE SSBN-734
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SUBSAFE Certification
DESIGN CERTIFICATION

MATERIAL CERTIFICATION

FABRICATION CERTIFICATION

TESTING CERTIFICATION
Process OQE NDT OQE Personnel Qual Equipment
Qual
Strength OQE Tightness OQE Operational OQE
Design product Approval OQE SUBSAFE Design
Review approval OQE
Chemical OQE Physical OQE Process OQE NDT
OQE
USS RHODE ISLAND SSBN-740
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Initial SUBSAFECertification

• Confirm compliance with SUBSAFE requirements
• Deliver the submarine to the fleet

USS QUEENFISH SSN-651
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HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN SUBSAFE CERTIFICATION
THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF A SUBMARINE?

• Re-Entry Control (REC)
• Unrestricted Operation Maintenance Requirements
  Cards (URO/MRCs)

USS WODROOW WILSON SSBN-624
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RE-ENTRY CONTROL

• Required for work within the SUBSAFE boundary
• A procedure that provides an identifiable,
  accountable, and auditable record of work
  performed
• The purpose is to provide maximum reasonable
  assurance that all SUBSAFE systems and components
  are restored to a fully certified condition

USS KENTUCKY SSBN-737
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URO/MRC Program

• Periodic inspections and tests
• Degradation due to use, age, environment
• Technical basis for continued unrestricted
  operations

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Audits

• SUBSAFE Certification Audits
• SUBSAFE Functional Audits

USS GREENEVILLE SSN-772
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SUBSAFE AUDITS

• SUBSAFE Certification Audits review the Objective
  Quality Evidence associated with an individual
  ship to ensure that the material condition of
  that specific submarine is satisfactory for sea
  trial and unrestricted operations
• SUBSAFE Functional Audits review the policies,
  procedures, and practices used by activities to
  perform SUBSAFE work to ensure that they comply
  with SUBSAFE requirements

USS CHEYENNE SSN-773
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SUBSAFE Program
Organizational Relationships
USS EMORY S. LAND AS-39
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SUBSAFE Program Relationships
SUBSAFE Oversight Committee
SUBSAFE Steering Task Group
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SUBSAFE Working Group Membership
Technical Authority NAVSEA 05
SEA 07Q
Submarine Program Managers
07T
Field/Fleet Activities
Naval Shipyard
SUPSHIP
Other Activities SUBMEPP, NAVICP, etc.
Operational Commander
Shipbuilder
FLEET
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SUBSAFE Certification Relationships
USS HADDOCK SSN-621
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SUBSAFE Certification Relationships
Program Manager
SUBSAFE Certification Authority (PEO-SUB/SEA07)
Technical Authority
SUBSAFE (SEA 07Q)
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SUBSAFE

• A Requirement
• An Attitude
• A Responsibility

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