DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY Office of the Chief of Naval Operations 2000 Navy Pentagon Washington DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 3000.12B N4
26 Apr 2021 OPNAV INSTRUCTION 3000.12B From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj:  OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS
Ref:   (a) Operational Availability Handbook, March 2018
(b) CJCSI 5123.01H
(c) DoD Directive 5000.01 of 12 May 2003
(d) DoD Instruction 5000.02 of 7 January 2015
1. Purpose.
a. To provide policy regarding operational availability as a primary measure for readiness of naval systems, subsystems and equipment; and to provide definitions and equations for calculating operational availability and identifying sources of data for calculating and monitoring operational availability.
b. This revision releases this instruction separately from the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Sustainment (DASN (S)) Operational Availability Handbook (reference (a)). This revision and reference (a) were developed in collaboration with DASN (S) and the two policies are mutually reinforcing. This is a complete revision and should be reviewed in its entirety.
2. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 3000.12A.
3. Applicability. This instruction applies to all naval systems, subsystems and equipment, excluding systems and equipment under the cognizance of the Director, Naval Nuclear Programs. For brevity in this instruction, the terms "system" or "systems" are used.
4. Concepts. Operational availability provides a measure of time or probability that a system's capabilities will be available for operational use when needed. Operational availability is a critical, dominant element of the overall capability a system provides. It determines the real and sustainable capability that system users can realistically achieve in an operational environment within planned resource levels.
5. Discussion.
a. Early and consistent focus on operational availability benefits resource sponsors and program managers. It helps sponsors balance real capabilities and total costs. It enables
OPNAVINST 3000.12B 26 Apr 2021
program managers to design, develop and deliver to the operational users systems that provide affordable, sustainable capabilities. It also enables both resource sponsors and program managers to improve system capabilities periodically, while maintaining or improving readiness and cost performance.
b. For weapon systems and equipment in design, development, production and test, focusing on operational availability provides information on relative costs and readiness benefits for use in making trade-off decisions in and among design and support alternatives.
c. For systems in operational use, operational availability analyses highlight operational performance as measured against expected performance. This provides input to program managers for potential design or support improvements.
6. Policy.
a. Operational availability is a primary measure of readiness for weapon systems and equipment. It is determined by reliability (mean time between failure), maintainability (mean time to repair) and supportability (mean logistics delay time). Reference (a), developed by DASN (S) in coordination with OPNAV N4 and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona, provides guidance and methodologies for implementing operational availability throughout the systems life cycles. Reference (a) is located on the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) Information System portal page. URL is as follows: https://rdais.navy.rml/kb/uploads/4J59/0/0/Operational_Availability_Handbook_-_M 18203352.pdf.
b. Operational availability thresholds and objectives will be established for weapon systems and equipment and included in all statements of required or desired capabilities, per references (a) through (d).
c. The definitions, methods and criteria contained in reference (a) will be used to estimate, establish, analyze and measure operational availability.
d. Operational availability analyses will be conducted concurrently with system design and development for the purpose of guiding and validating system design, as well as support planning and resource management.
e. Operational availability analyses will be a program management responsibility inherent to total system life cycle management for the purpose of ensuring that fielded systems are effectively and affordably sustained and improved over time.
f. Operational availability should also be considered for the system-of-systems required to generate the applicable warfighting effect.
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OPNAVINST 3000.12B 26 Apr 2021
7. Responsibilities.
a. Resource sponsors within the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) will establish operational availability thresholds and goals for all weapon systems and equipment under their cognizance and ensure compliance with this instruction.
b. Deputy Chief of Naval Operation, Fleet Readiness and Logistics (CNO N4) will assess requirements and resources for new and fielded systems (including modifications and modernizations) and will advise resource sponsors and the CNO on what actions may be taken to improve cost or readiness of naval systems, or to better manage risks.
c. Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command (COMNAVSUPSYSCOM) will provide assistance when requested for integrated logistics support analysis throughout the system's life cycle.
d. Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona Division maintains the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Surface Warfare Division (OPNAV N96) Material Readiness Database and will provide assistance when requested in the analyses of operational availability throughout the system's life cycle. OPNAV N96 Material Readiness Database is designated by the CNO as the single authoritative readiness database for all shipboard systems.
8. Records Management.
a. Records created as a result of this instruction, regardless of format or media, must be maintained and dispositioned per the records disposition schedules located on the Department of the Navy Assistant for Administration, Directives and Records Management Division portal page at https://portal.secnav.navy.rml/orgs/DUSNM/DONAA/DRM/Records-and-Information-Management/Approved%20Record%20Schedules/Forms/AllItems.aspx.
b. For questions concerning the management of records related to this instruction or the records disposition schedules, please contact the local records manager or the OPNAV Records Management Program (DNS-16).
9. Review and Effective Date. Per OPNAVINST 5215.17A, OPNAV N41 will review this instruction annually around the anniversary of its issuance date to ensure applicability, currency and consistency with Federal, Department of Defense, Secretary of the Navy and Navy policy and statutory authority using OPNAV 5215/40 Review of Instruction. This instruction will be in effect for 10 years, unless revised or cancelled in the interim, and will be reissued by the 10-year anniversary date if it is still required, unless it meets one of the exceptions in OPNAVINST 5215.17A, paragraph 9. Otherwise, if the instruction is no longer required, it will be processed
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OPNAVINST 3000.12B 26 Apr 2021
for cancellation as soon as the need for cancellation is known following the guidance in OPNAV Manual 5215.1 of May 2016.
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Fleet Readiness and Logistics
Releasability and distribution:
This instruction is cleared for public release and is available electronically only via Department of the Navy Issuances Web site http://www.secnav.navy.mil/doni.
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