During World War II when bases were constructed across the island chains of the Pacific Ocean, it became apparent that significant savings in both time and material could be realized if units of materials, equipment, and personnel required to perform specific functions were standardized. This was the beginning of the Advanced Base Functional Components (ABFC) System that is still in use today. In this section we willFacilities Planning Guide, NAVFAC P437.

ADVANCED BASE FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS SYSTEM

A thorough discussion of the Advanced Base Functional Components System may be found in the Naval Construction Force (NCF) Manual, NAVFAC P-315, and in volume II of the Facilities Planning Guide, NAVFAC P-437. Briefly, however, the overall ABFC System comprises a preplanned collection of individual functional components, each of which is designed and organized to perform a specific function at an advanced base. These functional components are given code numbers and names to indicate their function; for example, Component P-26 is a Seabee Team, and Component N-24A is a 750-man tent camp. By using the ABFC System, planners for logistics, facilities, and construction can readily identify the equipment, facilities, materials, construction effort, and other pertinent information that is needed for each component. The basic document that identifies all of this data is the NAVFAC P-437.

The Facilities Planning Guide, NAVFAC P-437, is the basic tool that you should consult when tasked to assist in planning the construction of an advanced base. This document identifies the structures and supporting utilities of the Navy ABFC System. It was developed to make preengineered facility designs and corresponding material lists available to planners at all levels. While these designs relate primarily to expected needs at advanced bases and to the Navy ABFC System, they can also be used to satisfy peacetime requirements. Facilities, logistic, and construction planners will each find the information required to select and document the material necessary to construct facilities. NAVFAC P437 consists of two volumes. Although it may seem unusual to do so, lets first discuss volume II.

Volume II of the P-437 is organized into three parts. 

Part 1 (Components) contains data displays for each of the ABFC components and is indexed by code number. These data displays list and describe the facilities that make up each ABFC component. Figure 5-3 is an

Figure 5-3.Typical data display for a component.

Figure 5-4.Typical data display for a facility.

example of one of the data displays that you can find in part 1. As you can see, figure 5-3 is for Component P-25. The name of this component is Naval Mobile Construction Battalion. The specific function, or purpose, of this component is shown directly below the component name. Listed below the function are all of the facilities that comprise Component P-25. For each facility, you find the single-facility capacity, total quantity, and total facility capacity required for the component; for example, there is a total of two water-storage facilities (Facility Number 841 40E) required for the complete component. Each of these storage facilities has a capacity of 30,000 gallons, and the total water-storage capacity for the component is 60,000 gallons. Also listed for each facility is the weight, cube, dollar value, and estimated construction effort for the total quantity of each facility. At the bottom of figure 5-3, you find additional information concerning the complete component. This includes a breakdown, by Seabee rating, of the estimated direct-labor man-hours that are needed to construct the component.

Part 2 (Facilities) includes a data display for each of the ABFC facilities. This part, indexed by facility number, is used to identify the assemblies that are required for each facility. For our discussion, lets stay with the requirements for the P-25 Component and look at the data display for Facility Number 123 10F. This data display, found in part 2, is shown in figure 5-4. At the top of this data display (fig. 5-4) is the facility number and nomenclature of the facility. Below this, you see a listing, by assembly number, of all of the assemblies that are needed for one complete facility. This listing includes the description, quantity, weight, cubic feet, dollar value, and the estimated construction effort required for each assembly. Below the listing of assemblies, you also find other information regarding the complete facility; for example, you can see that Facility 123 10F requires a land area of 1.28 acres, that a 30-day supply of gasoline (MOGAS) will be needed, and that the estimated EA direct labor required to install this facility is 8 man-hours.

Part 3 (Assemblies) is indexed by assembly number and contains data displays that list all of the materials required for each assembly. For an example, lets look at the data display for Assembly Number 20002 that is required for Facility 123 10F. This data display, which you could find in part 3, is shown in figure 5-5. On this display, you see the national stock number (NSN), description, unit of issue, quantity, weight, cubic feet, and dollar value for each line item of material that is required for one complete assembly. Also, on this data display, you can find the estimated number of man-hours and the recommended size of crew needed to assemble and install one of these assemblies.

Part 1 (Component Site Plans) is indexed by component designation and includes typical site plans for the ABFC components. When a component does not have a site plan, the word None appears on the data display for the component.

Part 2 (Facility Drawings and Networks) is indexed by facility number and contains detailed construction drawings of the ABFC facilities. Also included in part 2 are construction networks. A network is a diagram that is used to guide and manage a construction project. It includes information, such as the sequence of construction activities, start and finish dates of each construction activity, duration of each activity, and other information that is of use to the crew leaders, supervisors, and managers of a project. The Seabee Planners and Estimator Handbook, NAVFAC P-405, provides detailed guidance on reading and preparing construction networks.

Part 3 (Assembly Drawings) contains working drawings of the ABFC assemblies. It is indexed by assembly number.

The above is only a brief overview of Advanced Base Functional Components. For more information, you should refer to the NAVFAC P-437, volume II.