Military ships by nature require a rigorous and proactive approach to weight control. Their unique missions and operating environments make them markedly different from other more conventional ships. Their unique requirements for survivability, sea keeping, maneuverability, and the need to undergo significant overhauls and upgrades during their service life coupled with their high sensitivity to weight and KG (vertical center of gravity above the keel) makes them a special case for weight control. New or specialized hull forms may add further to the need for significant emphasis on weight control. This recommended practice provides weight control technical requirements for all phases of naval surface ship acquisition (i.e., preliminary design through detail design and construction) and service life and describes different types of weight estimates, reports, and weight control procedures. The purpose of this document is to promote uniformity and standardization in weight control and weight reporting requirements. This Recommended Practice may also be invoked in whole or in part for other vessels such as commercial ships or offshore platforms as deemed appropriate. The requirements in this practice apply (either in part or in total) only as specified in a contractual agreement (e.g., specifications, contract clause, purchase order, etc.). This standard defines weight control technical requirements and describes the various types of weight estimates and reports that may be contractually required by a ship owner. The contract will specify requirements for deliverables commensurate with the weight control program for the ship in question including data to be submitted, frequency of submission, number of copies, and recipients. Although the frequency and level of fidelity of estimating and reporting may vary, the definition of weight control products is uniform. Questions regarding this document may be made by e-mail to: standards@sawe.org

  This document is sponsored by the Society of Allied Weight Engineers (SAWE) Marine Systems Industry Committee. Its purpose is to supplement SAWE Recommended Practice M-1, Reference 1, which provides the requirements for weight control; SAWE Recommended Practice M-2, Reference 2, which defines a standard coordinate system for reporting mass properties information; and SAWE Recommended Practice 14, Reference 3, which describes best practices and industry conventions for estimating and determining mass properties for ships. This document focuses on the role that third party suppliers play in the marine industry practices which best satisfy the requirements for a comprehensive weight control program. As an RP, this document is advisory in nature; however, it may be invoked as specified in a contractual agreement such as a design and construction contract or a purchase order. It is intended to be applicable both to the suppliers of Builder-furnished equipment and Owner- or Government-furnished equipment for the marine industry. The primary focus of this document is on the acquisition stage of a ship’s life rather than its inservice stage although many of the elements presented may be applied throughout the life of the vessel. This document shall be maintained as a stabilized document; this status shall be subject to review on a ten-year cycle from the approval or last revision of the document. Questions regarding this document may be made by e-mail to: standards@sawe.org