Back to news

October 12, 2018 | International, Aerospace

To up fighter readiness levels, Pentagon looks to retire older planes and fix supply chains

By:

WASHINGTON — With Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis issuing new guidancedemanding readiness for tactical air assets increase in just one year, the Pentagon is openly acknowledging that older planes will have to be retired and cannibalized for parts to make it happen.

The department will also look to overhaul how it handles its supply chain, according to the department's No. 2 official.

In a September memo, first reported by Defense News, Mattis ordered the Air Force, Navy and Marines to get the Pentagon's fleets of F-16, F-18, F-22 and F-35 fighters to a minimum of 80 percent mission ready. That would represent a major jump in readiness over a short period of time, raising skepticism amongst analysts.

From a pure numbers-on-paper standpoint, the easiest way for getting readiness rates up on the fleet would involve retiring older, less ready aircraft — essentially increasing the percentage of good-to-go planes by reducing the overall size of the fleets.

Such a move may not be popular on the Hill, which routinely complains about the size of the military compared with previous eras. But it's a logical step being endorsed by both Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps chief of staff.

“You gotta get rid of airplanes. At some point, you gotta get rid of the old ones,” Neller told reporters Wednesday at a Defense Writer's Group event, when asked how he would hit that 80 percent mark.

Neller added that such a move has to be part of a broader spectrum of moves, including better quality parts from vendors, being more efficient with maintainers, and adjusting the flying hours for pilots to make sure the wings aren't being worn off on jets.

“It's not going to be a single thing, so we've got to do our part,” he added.

Speaking to reporters at the AUSA conference the same day, Shanahan seemed to zero in on the oldest Navy jets as ones that could be retired.

“Well, when you look at the size of the fleet of the F-18s, you got [F-18A models] out there, then you look at what it would take to restore them to a certain level of readiness, you might say it's much easier just to retire those,” he said. “So, I mean, there's a mix of answers.”

“It probably doesn't make sense to generate a lot of activity to make something that is older more reliable, but when you think about the joint strike fighter and the hundreds of those that we're going to take, 80 percent should be the minimum, OK? It shouldn't be some aspirational goal, it should be the minimum.”

However, he pushed back at the idea that anyone will “game the system” to get those readiness percentages up.

Commercial practices

In the memo, Mattis specifically notes the commercial aviation industry is able to maintain higher readiness rates and directs the service to look that way for inspiration.

“I am confident in our department's ability to generate additional capacity from our current aircraft inventory, alongside the commercial aviation industry's sustainment of high availability rates,” Mattis wrote. “As we seek to achieve our goals, we can learn from industry's benchmarks for measuring speed, cost and mission capability, as well as its best practices for implementing a sustainable, Department-wide system.”

Shanahan, who will be the overall leader of the readiness rate improvement efforts, is a longtime Boeing executive who worked directly on a number of commercial jet production programs. And to him, there are absolutely lessons that can be drawn from passenger aviation.

“A jet engine is a jet engine; no one will convince me otherwise,” he said. “I've lived in both worlds, I've been on more airplanes than anybody in the United States, I know these things, OK?”

The deputy said his focus was on helping the service develop “methods, systems and practices” that will lead to systemic changes in how maintenance is done and provide dividends for years to come.

“When you look at the F-18s, this is the same size of fleet as Southwest has. It's not a super-large fleet, they're all basically the same,” Shanahan noted. “So how do we put in place, you know, the support practices and the parts so that people aren't working as hard?”

The need to keep part quality and quantity up were on display just a day after Shanahan and Neller's comments. On Thursday, the Pentagon ordered a temporary stop to flying the F-35 as it investigated a fuel tube inside the engines of the fleet. That same day, an F-22 crashed on its side following a landing gear malfunction.

During his talk with reporters, the Navy was singled out as already having committed to improving their methodologies. And he called out the need to “restructure” how both the Navy and Air Force handle their supply chains — something he said will ultimately bleed over into maintenance beyond the four selected jet fleets.

“The real end game to me is as a department, how do we end up with a single sustainment system? And what was good about this is that once you get the F-18 right, it spills over into the P-8, because they're side-by-side, so [the P-8 maintainers] going to be like, ‘Those guys, they're working a lot less hard than we are and they're getting much better results, why don't we just do it that way?'

“And then as people see the methods they apply to shipbuilding or ship maintenance,” he added.

Shawn Snow of Marine Corps Times contributed to this report.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/10/11/to-up-fighter-readiness-levels-pentagon-looks-to-retire-older-planes-and-fix-supply-chains

On the same subject

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 11, 2019

    December 12, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 11, 2019

    ARMY Galveston Coastal Services JV, Houston, Texas, was awarded a $228,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 10, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-20-D-0001). Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $22,441,319 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to design, develop and validate system prototypes for a combined arms squad. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funds in the amount of $11,323,800 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912CG-20-C-0005). NAVY Ahtna-CDM JV,* Irvine, California (N62473-20-D-0026); R. A. Burch Construction Inc.,* Ramona, California (N62473-20-D-0027); Bristol Design Build Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (N62473-20-D-0028); Insight Pacific LLC,* Brea, California (N62473-20-D-0029); I.E.-Pacific Inc.,* Escondido, California (N62473-20-D-0030); Patricia I. Romero Inc., doing business as Pacific West Builders,* National City, California (N62473-20-D-0031); and Heffler Contracting Group,* El Cajon, California (N62473-20-D-0032), are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award design-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of operations (AO). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition and repair work by design-build or by design-bid-build of commercial and institutional facilities, administrative and industrial facilities, housing facilities, child care centers, lodges, recreational/fitness centers, retail complexes, warehouses, offices, community centers, medical facilities, operational airfield facilities, hangars, armories, fire stations, auditoriums, religious facilities and manufacturing facilities. The maximum dollar value including the base two-year performance period and one three-year option period for all seven contracts combined is $99,999,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed primarily within the NAVFAC Southwest AO which includes California (55%); Nevada (40%); Arizona (1%); Colorado (1%); New Mexico (1%); Utah (1%); and remainder of the U.S. (1%), with an expected completion date of December 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $35,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 33 proposals received. These seven contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Etolin Strait Partners LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $30,000,000, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price job order contract for minor construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington, District of Columbia, area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for the accomplishment of various maintenance, repair, alteration and minor new construction projects to government facilities located primarily within the NAVFAC. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, engineering, materials, equipment, tools, parts, supplies and transportation to perform all work described in the task order's request for proposal. Work will be performed primarily in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Navy (O&M) funding in the amount $10,000 and will expire at the end of fiscal 2019. Future task orders will be funded primarily by military construction (Navy); O&M (Navy); O&M (Defense Logistics Agency); and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 11 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-D-0007). (Awarded Sept. 30, 2019) AIR FORCE Nightingale Corp., Tonawanda, New York (FA8003-20-A-0001); Great Journey West LLC, Saint Charles, Missouri (FA8003-20-A-0002); SCS Integrated Support Solutions LLC, Manassas, Virginia (FA8003-20-A-0003); Feigus Inc., Wall, New Jersey (FA8003-20-A-0004); Govsolutions Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA8003-20-A-0005); SLM Contract Furniture Inc., San Diego, California (FA8003-20-A-0006); Workplace Solutions Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA8003-20-A-0007); NxVet LLC, Woodbridge, Virginia (FA8003-20-A-0008); Seating Inc., Nunda, New York (FA8003-20-A-0009); and Trade Products Corp., Fairfax, Virginia (FA8003-20-A-0010), have been awarded an $80,000,000 multiple award blanket purchase agreement for executive, task, conference room and side chairs. This agreement provides for delivery of office chairs at a discount off General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedules pricing to Air Force offices in the continental U.S. Work will be performed at Tonawanda, New York; Hawthorne, California; Buena Park, California; Bryan, Texas; Hillsboro, Oregon; and Nunda, New York, and is expected to be completed by December 2024. This award is the result of a 100% small business set-aside competitive acquisition and 26 offers were received. Current fiscal year operations and maintenance funds will be obligated with each order and no funds are being obligated at the time of award. The 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Thomas Scientific LLC, Swedesboro, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $49,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for laboratory supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 15 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no options. Location of performance is New Jersey, with a Dec. 18, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-20-D-0006). KaVo Dental Technologies LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 101 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Dec. 10, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0026). Duck Delivery Produce Inc.,* Portland, Oregon, has been awarded a maximum $26,000,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a 48-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Oregon and Washington state, with a Dec. 10, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Department of Agriculture schools and reservations. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-S740). Chemring Sensors and Electronic Systems Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $12,141,494 firm-fixed-price, definitive type contract for Biological Agent Warning System 4 Plus Assembly units. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-year contract with one one-year option period being exercised at the time of award. Location of performance is North Carolina, with an April 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0014). KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC, Rockville, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $9,690,076 cost-plus-fixed-fee, bridge contract for hydrant fueling automation maintenance. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 17-month base contract with one three-month option period. Locations of performance are all 50 states, Japan, Wake Island, South Korea, Guam, Diego Garcia, Portugal, Crete, Spain, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the United Kingdom, with a May 12, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Columbus, Ohio (SP4702-20-C-0006). KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC, Rockville, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $7,936,316 cost-plus-fixed-fee, bridge contract for automated tank gauging, independent alarm system, and overfill protection equipment maintenance. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S .Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 21-month base contract with one three-month option period. Locations of performance are Belgium, Djibouti, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom with a Sept. 12, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Columbus, Ohio (SP4702-20-C-0005). U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Marine Terminals Corp., San Pedro, California, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract, HTC711-20-D-R003, in the amount of $34,025,191. The contract provides stevedoring and terminal services at Port Naval Base Ventura County-Port Hueneme and the Port of San Diego. Work will be performed at Port Naval Base, Ventura County-Port Hueneme and the Port of San Diego, California. The contract base period of performance is from Feb. 7, 2020, to Feb. 6, 2025. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds were obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2038047/source/GovDelivery/

  • Coming off a troubled year

    December 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Coming off a troubled year

    By: Jill Aitoro The strategy for reading tea leaves of the year to come is naturally anchored in the lasting events of the year just passed. So then let us consider 2019. The year was, in many respects, one of messiness. The already tense relationship between Turkey and NATO allies got worse, leading to the decision by the U.S. to kick the country out of the F-35 program. High-profile program struggles plagued some of the largest defense companies in the world. Political turmoil led to leadership shakeups both in the U.S. and across the pond. Instability in the industrial base made advancements in technology by adversaries all the more troubling. But there were also some signs of progress. Modern warfare capabilities — from hypersonics to artificial intelligence — transitioned from a footnote for only some to the everyday vernacular of most. More experimentation emerged in techiques for system development and acquisition. And around the world, countries from various regions grew more earnest in their desires to expand their influence and investment in global defense. What can we predict, then, based upon this, for 2020? Global relations will continue to shift, no longer defined by existing alliances but rather by individual behavior and more self-serving demands. Elections stand to turn the current state of political affairs on its ear, whether it be for better or for worse. And competition will grow more fierce, driven by a shrinking industrial base and the fact that defense companies will need to look beyond the U.S. to find the most sought-after programs with the biggest potential payout. Obviously, there is a lot we don't know. Will NATO flounder or regain its footing? Will election results drive allies closer together or farther apart? Will defense budgets go up or down? And will the increasing use of hybrid tactics reshape both the forces of today and the systems of tomorrow? We asked leaders from around the world to provide their perspective. See what's on their minds here in Outlook 2020. https://www.defensenews.com/outlook/

  • Denmark plans $6 bln boost in military spending amid defence shortcomings

    March 13, 2024 | International, Land

    Denmark plans $6 bln boost in military spending amid defence shortcomings

All news