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Benefits, Costs, and Challenges Associated with a 72-Month Operational Cycle

• Moving to a 72-month operational cycle would increase operational presence by about 7 percent, relative to a 32-month cycle.
• A 72-month operational cycle could lead to greater cohesion among crew members, because they would stay together longer and deploy together more often.
• Moving to a 72-month operational cycle would reduce the number of crews needed for the fleet. This could lead to manpower savings, but only if the Navy were to divest itself of these surplus crews and reduce end strength.
• A 72-month operational cycle would lead to a substantial increase in maintenance costs, relative to the 32-month cycle. In the long term, this increase would more than offset the potential savings from reduced end strength.
• It is unclear whether a 72-month cycle will help the Navy cope with several maintenance issues that have accrued over the years.