Description
The Weapon System
The Navy's Aviation Support Equipment (ASE) suite is a set of aviation diagnostic and repair equipment that supports Operational- and Intermediate-level aviation maintenance activities. As such, ASE is not an end-item per se, but part of the logistics support process itself.
The primary R-TOC thrust in ASE encompasses two programs:
- The replacement of legacy equipment with the more efficient
Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS), a multifunction
automated test system used to test and diagnose weapons systems
electronics, and the adoption of more effective supply chain management practices.
- The Common Ground Support Equipment (CGSE) program,
which is all equipment and systems required to support the operation
and maintenance of weapons systems, subsystems and other aviation
support equipment in their intended environment. The R-TOC initiatives involve a variety of
modernization and maintenance management initiatives.
Production Status, Population, and Planned Life
The ASE R-TOC Pilot Program is in effect the transition of the
organizational and intermediate level aviation maintenance and repair
functions from a legacy system to newer, more reliable and more
efficient systems. ASE TOC baseline and R-TOC goals identified in the
July 1999 ASE R-TOC Plan for the transition have been adversely affected
by recent reductions in planned investment funding for certain
initiatives. CASS is an ACAT II program and is in full production. The inventory objective is 683 stations, which are used on carriers (18 per carrier), Navy shore sites, and Marine Corps mobile facility vans). CGSE is a collection of equipment and systems, which are at various stages of the acquisition process.
Prime contractor: Lockheed Martin Information Systems
Office of Primary Responsibility:Program Manager, Aviation Common Support Equipment, PMA-260
R-TOC Focus Areas: (From USD (AT&L) memorandum dated May 10, 1999)
1. Reduced demand from weapon systems via reliability and maintainability improvements
The primary thrust of the R-TOC plan is replacement of legacy
support equipment with more modern and efficient support
equipment. This includes initiatives such as:
- Replacement of legacy engine test equipment with Jet Engine Test Instrumentation initiative.
- Replacement of obsolete engine start units with newer commercial jet engine start units.
A total of 21 modernization or reliability improvement initiatives have
been funded under CGSE, with ROI ratios ranging from 2.4:1 to 99:1.
An initiative approved under R-TOC PBD 721 (funding starting in FY03)
will provide improved stencil and marking of ASE. Acquisition of a
COTS system to mark equipment and make signs and nameplates without use
of paint will provide a 3X increase in outdoor life and reduce labor
associated with painting and disposal of waste materials. The system
is run from a desktop computer coupled with a color graphics device
capable of printing and cutting vinyl and films.
2. Reduced supply chain response times, leading to reduced spares,
system support footprint, and depot needs.
- The basic agreement for CASS Consolidated Service Program (CSP) depot
repair with LM Info Systems (LMIS) provides an incentivized agreement
for improved CASS station reliability growth, 24 hour requisition fill
response time, guaranteed 24 hour response to fleet "broad arrow" supply
issues (downing equipment), and obsolescence reduction planning. The
agreement calls for the contractor to hold wholesale spares inventory,
and an incentive award fee is provided for improving CASS station reliability.
This basic agreement is being extended to the CASS Electro-Optics configuration.
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Reliability centered maintenance analyses are being performed for selected ASE items, with a total of 21 different items analyzed between FY98 and FY02 and another 6 scheduled for FY03. The studies have resulted in significant reductions in scheduled maintenance requirements, usage of consumables, and disposal of hazardous materials.
3. Competitive sourcing of product support, leading to streamlining and overhead reductions
- Enhancement of upgrade of AWM 101 Test Set (for support of F/A-18 armament testing) by investment sharing with Royal Australian Air Force.
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