A newly released report details what a 72-month operational cycle would look like for surface combatants, an interval the Navy had been studying before moving to the 36-month Optimized Fleet Response Plan recently put in place, according to a service spokesman. The report, issued by RAND and entitled, "Extending Depot Length and Intervals for DDG-51-Class Ships: Examining the 72-Month Operational Cycle," found going to a 72-month interval between extended depot maintenance periods would increase the operational availability of DDG-51 destroyers,...
