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Maintaining Unmanned Systems O CECOM’s Logistics Readiness CenterEducating the Logistician O Tough Computer Screens O Life Cycles

The Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community

Response Logistician

Lt. Gen. William M. Faulkner Deputy Commandant for Installations and LogisticsU.S. Marine Corps

Exclusive Interview with:

Frank W. ZardeckiDeputy CommanderTobyhanna Army Depot

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August 2013Volume 7, Issue 7

Special pull-out SupplementU.S. army

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Cover / Q&AFeatures

Your single-source solution for material and services.

www.SupplyCore.com

Lieutenant GeneraL WiLLiam m. FauLkner Deputy commandant for installations and logistics

u.S. marine corps

17

August 2013Volume 7, Issue 7

Departments Industry Interview2 editor’s PersPective4 LoG oPs/PeoPLe14 suPPLy chain27 resource center

steven B. harrisonchief commercial officeraaR airlift Group

U.S. Army CommUnICAtIonS-ElECtronICS CommAnd SpECIAl pUll-oUt SUpplEmEnt

Frank W. ZardeckiDeputy commandertobyhanna army Depot

MILITARY LOGISTICS FORUM

28

“One of the

challenges

with supporting

operations

and retrograde

simultaneously

is being able

to do the

latter without

degrading

ongoing

operations

and accepting

no additional

risk.”

- Lt. Gen.

William M. Faulkner

1

excLusive intervieW With

5makinG LiFe cycLes Paythe need to cut spending in the short term should not distract from the basic and big-dollar defense challenge: getting the right assets to perform well over the long term at the lowest possible total life cycle cost.By Henry Canaday

8touGh screensone of the more vulnerable parts of a computer is the screen itself. Rugged computer screens for rugged environments are a reality. Drops and shocks are the most common damages these pieces of technology see and are the most damaging to screens.By Karen e. THuermer

11PreParinG For the Futurea logistician must be well-skilled in core logistics functions and processes; highly organized and disciplined; flexible and adaptable to changing requirements and conditions; and results-oriented, dedicated and determined. it all starts with education.By Kelly Fodel

24maintaininG unmanned systemsas unmanned systems have proliferated, so have industry efforts to maintain them. unmanned systems maintenance has emerged as an important and sizable line of work for the defense industry.By marC Selinger

riGht siZinGcecom right-sizes field support entities to match the current environment.By lane ColliedireCTorlogiSTiCS readineSS CenTer, CeCom

6

Those who talk about taking a long time to turn an oil tanker around should hear the one about how long it takes to change out how the Army moves containers in-theater.

Prior to the Army 2001 strategy, the Army used flatracks to move contain-erized and non-containerized cargo around the system. A 1998 operational requirements document looked at other ways to move the cargo in what would become container handling units/enhanced container handling units (CHUs/E-CHUs) and containers transfer enhancements (CTE) for containerized cargo and the container roll-in/out platform (CROP) for non-containerized cargo. Between 2002 and 2006, the Army issued contracts for about 36,900 CROPs.

As of June 2013, the Army was using 47,228 CROPs and still had 4,342 flatracks in service. Although no further acquisition funding is planned, due to ordered but-not-yet-delivered numbers, the total inventory of each will rise to 48,397 and 7,241 respectively.

According to Army documentation provided by the Government Accountability Office, from 2008 through 2010, warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan identified an unanticipated and urgent need for flatracks to move cargo in containers to forward operating units, in order to better conceal and protect items being moved along hazardous routes. After the Army’s 2001 strategy eliminated the need for flatracks, Army officials stated that the ability to move containers to forward operating units was limited because CROPs cannot carry containers. Further, as of 2010, Army officials said that there was an insufficient inventory of CHUs/E-CHUs to meet the urgent need for container distribution, because the Army had not anticipated the need to move containers to forward operating units.

As always, operational lessons provide the reality check for a procurement process and new equipment items run up against warfighters having to get the job done. The best answer is a combination of the existing and the new.

A number of simulations and studies have indicated the CHUs/E-CHUs and CTEs can provide far more capacity—up to three times as much—than the flatrack system alone. The studies also seem to indicate that the most efficient system would employ a combination of CHUs/E-CHUs, CTEs, flatracks and CROPs.

When the retrograde winds down, there will be an abundance of container-handling equipment items, but before we can get to the place where there are too many, we have to go through the place where there are just enough.

Jeffrey d. mcKaughanediTor-in-CHieF

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community

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Colonel John M. Wood, who has been selected for the rank of brigadier general, commander, 87th Air Base Wing, Air Mobility Command, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., has been assigned to deputy director, strategic plans, requirements, and programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

Major General Margaret W. Boor, U.S. Army Reserve, has been assigned as commander (Troop Program Unit), 99th Regional Support Command, Fort Dix, N.J. She is currently serving as the deputy director for logistics operations, J-4

(individual mobilization augmentee), Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Admiral (lower half) Althea H. Coetzee will be assigned as contingency contracting deputy director, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), Washington, D.C. Coetzee is currently serving as executive director, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (acquisition and procurement), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (research, development and acquisition), Washington, D.C.

Rear Admiral (lower half) Paul A. Sohl will be assigned as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers/assistant commander for logistics and industrial operations (AIR-6.0) Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. Sohl is currently serving as commander, Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division/assistant commander for test and evaluation, Naval Air Systems Command (AIR-5.0), China Lake, Calif.

Rear Admiral (lower half) Scott A. Stearney will be assigned as commander, Strike Force

Training Atlantic, Norfolk, Va. Stearney is currently serving as commander, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, U.S. Transportation Command, Norfolk, Va.

Captain Michael T. Moran, who has been selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division/assistant commander for test and evaluation, Naval Air Systems Command (AIR-5.0), China Lake, Calif. Moran is currently serving as military assistant, Office of the Secretary of

Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C.

Captain Paul J. Verrastro, who has been selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as executive director, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (acquisition and procurement), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (research, development and acquisition), Washington, D.C. Verrastro is currently serving as commanding officer, Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Compiled by Kmi media group staffPEOPLE

Supporting 5th FleetGenco, a provider of product life cycle logistics solu-

tions, recently announced that the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Genco Infrastructure Solutions (GIS), has secured a contract with the Defense Logistics Agency to support the U.S. Navy’s presence in Bahrain and CENTCOM theater. The one-year fixed-price contract, with four one-year options, is valued at $38.8 million. With its prior opera-tion in Kuwait, GIS brings proven experience in the region, a team fully trained to utilize DSS and experience managing both third-country nationals and local nationals.

The 330,000 square foot operation will process over 100,000 transactions per year, consisting of government property from all service branches. GIS will also manage a Navy material processing center for naval fleet support. Full operations are scheduled to begin in September.

John McGonigle, president, Genco Infrastructure Solutions, said, “As our first overseas prime contract, the DLA distribution operation in Bahrain builds on our previous success and provides an opportunity to support the Navy’s 5th Fleet, a long standing, forward deployed, strategic capability and other Army and Air Force units in the region.”

Former Fuel Specialist Teaches Combat Tactics

Accomplishing a certain mission is a career goal for most military members, but for one former logistics Marine, it is a daily objective.

Staff Sergeant Andrew Walters, a combat instructor with Kilo Company, Marine Combat Training [MCT] Battalion, School of Infantry-West, started off as a bulk fuel specialist with Bulk Fuel Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, before transitioning to his current billet.

“Being a bulk fuel specialist is a good job,” said Walters. “It’s a necessity, which is great. I love my [military occupational specialty], but I love teaching combat tactics.”

The mindset and unit integrity of a ground support unit is very similar to that of an infantry unit, making for a smooth transition to combat instructor, Walters said.

“In a bulk fuel company, you can have a platoon of 20 Marines or a platoon of 70 Marines—it’s all about personnel

management,” he said. “In MCT, it’s very much the same when I’m leading 120 Marines every day. It’s not just about having rank. It’s about having a command presence and being a leader Marines can constantly emulate.”

Each day, Walters sets out to push new Marines further by giving them more knowledge on infantry tactics to make them better.

“There’s a mission every day,” he said. “It’s a lot of full bore, up-tempo, something new every day from sunup to sundown.”

It is not rare for a combat instructor to get less than three hours of sleep a night during a four-week cycle, Walters said. Less sleep can add to additional stress to an already overwhelming training schedule, he added.

“You learn to work around the stress and run with it,” he said.

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cody Haas, 1st Marine Logistics Group

www.MLF-kmi.com4 | MLF 7.7

Budget pressures and sequestration are emphasizing reducing the short-term costs of defense operations and procurement. But the need to cut spending in the short term should not distract from the basic and big-dollar defense challenge: getting the right assets to per-form well over the long term at the lowest possible total life cycle cost.

Much progress has been made along these lines in the last decade as private-sector methods have been brought to bear on sustainment of military platforms and systems. And valuable experience has been gained. Both progress and experience point to the same conclusion: much more can be done to boost performance and reduce life cycle cost in the future.

Jane Feitler, research director at Gartner’s Supply Chain Group, said that potential to reduce life cycle costs is very good but depends on where assets are in their life cycles. “Highly mature programs may gain reductions by reducing cycle time and inventories. Pro-grams in early stages have a greater opportunity, as processes are not entrenched. They can be streamlined and designed for agility, flex-ibility and lower life cycle costs.”

For example, private firms can offer better ways to provide ser-vices, developed for private markets. And contracts may spur cost reductions by requiring year-over-year improvements.

Feitler said sustainment touch-points can be minimized by auto-mation, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and integrated supply-chain execution systems. In addition, “using RFID ensures capture of clean and correct supply-chain data that can be used to improve operations and decision-making.”

When platforms are in design and development stages, product support managers can design in sustainment strategies to reduce life cycle costs. Feitler said performance could also be improved. “The key is measuring desired outcomes and having operation, execution and

management metrics aligned. Performance levels must be included in the contract. All stakeholder performance must be measured, reported, shared and reviewed regularly.”

Private firms typically post performance scorecards on supplier portals so their suppliers know how they stand. Problems can then be addressed collaboratively to identify cause and effect.

Feitler said this approach could work across many type of assets. “Maintenance response time, reliability and quality improvements are examples of the opportunities. Look to the cost drivers. For example, maintenance time can be reduced by better inventory man-agement that improves supply availability.”

One key is adapting private best practice to military programs. Fortune-500 firms often require metrics such as 98 percent on-time delivery, 99.999 percent inventory accuracy and 100 percent outbound order accuracy from their logistics providers. These firms team with clients to streamline processes and provide strong gover-nance.

Feitler said one handicap in defense markets is that trust is lack-ing in life cycle support. History and culture have created mistrust, making collaboration difficult. Annual contracting also adds inef-ficiencies and costs.

Competition is the chief means by which private firms get high-performing, low-cost sourcing bids. Yet there may be little incentive for firms to compete vigorously for one-year government contracts. “Longer-term contracts will give contractors a better opportunity to recoup resources spent developing efficiencies, lower life cycle costs and gain ROI.”

In private markets, contractors share cost, overhead and profit figures with buyers. This enables a mutually-agreed-upon baseline price, fixed for a period and then negotiable for future business.

MakingLife Cycles

PayThere are plenTy of opporTuniTies To reduce life cycle cosTs.

By henry canaday, Mlf correspondenT

www.MLF-kmi.com MLF 7.7 | 5

Smart private firms have already been applying these principles to important military programs. Mark Hitch, vice president of business development at AAI Logistics and Technical Services emphasized three support programs his company provides that demonstrate reduction in life cycle costs.

First, AAI provides maintenance- and aircrew-train-ing, as well as sustainment, for the C-17 Globemaster and the B-1B Lancer. AAI also has a performance based logistics (PBL) contract for hydraulic components on the EA-6B Prowler.

With budgets under pressure, the military is flying older aircraft much longer than anticipated, so one big challenge is obsolescence management. For the EA-6B, AAI has public-private partnerships with fleet readiness centers in Jacksonville and San Diego. Under these PPPs, techs from the two FRCs complete hydraulics repairs for AAI, as well as produce components that have gone obsolete in the private sector.

AAI manages the supply chain on the EA-6B, deals with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), carries inven-tories financed by its own funds, forecasts part require-ments and gets the FRCs parts needed for repairs. “They have constraints on getting parts that may not even be in production anymore,” Hitch noted. “In the old days, they stopped and started waiting for parts. Now we surround them with the right parts. Components go through quickly, and last longer on wing.”

The results are impressive. August 2013 will be the 60th straight month that part availability for the EA-6B hit 100 percent, versus a required 97 percent. Since the original PBL eight years ago, Hitch said, costs have been cut by 30 percent.

For the aircraft trainers, results are similar. The C-17 contract required 95 percent part availability. “We are running at 99 to 100 per-cent,” Hitch noted. The B-1B trainer required 96 percent and AAI has maintained 99 to 100 percent.

Also important is that logistics and engineering are linked for the trainers. “The trainers have to change when the aircraft does,” Hitch explained. “We have the engineering capacity to do that, we can keep it available and upgraded all at once.”

Hitch predicted that the lower expense of using trainers rather than aircraft will increase trainer use in the future. He thinks it would be smart to combine sustainment with modifications. And Hitch is confi-dent that the techniques AAI uses so successfully on the EA-6B could be applied to other aircraft and non-hydraulic components.

An integrated logistics company, SupplyCore can manage supply chains, distribution, warehousing or facilities or all four functions together. Steve Cotone, vice president Programs Management, said his firm offers performance-based support, including repairs, globally. “We provide a single, streamlined source of manufactured components for tactical vehicles, aviation and military needs,” Cotone noted. “Our focus on minimizing total cost of procurement makes us a valuable program partner.”

SupplyCore assesses manufacturers’ capabilities, combining the best suppliers, and maintains redundant supply sources to minimize risks and delay. Its PBL solutions provide quality parts on-time.

Cotone put strong emphasis on SupplyCore’s successful integration with many defense information systems. It was the third company to use Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) with DLA in the 1990s and one of the first to integrate with the Air Force’s Civil Engineering Material

Acquisition System (CEMAS) and the new Defense Business System Modernization. Cotone said this comprehensive integration sets Sup-plyCore apart from its competitors.

SupplyCore’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is Ora-cle’s JDE E1, chosen for its distribution and warehousing functions. E1

is 100 percent web-enabled and can be used anywhere in the world. Government users request material through EDI, and SupplyCore picks, packs and ships to the end-user. “We communicate regularly with DLA on usage and stocks, as information in the system is only as good as information it is given,” Cotone noted.

Integration with CEMAS allows for paperless requests and fewer human touches. Government saves on fewer touches, lower cost and less paper. The military also gets faster quotes and deliveries.

SupplyCore customized E1 especially for integra-tion with defense information systems, tagging transac-tions with defense meta-data to ensure traceability and ease. This yields several benefits: improved visibility and velocity; real-time access to inventory quantities, status and location; and selection of lowest-cost carriers and optimized warehouse management including automatic replenishment.

Cotone believes industry management of spare parts on aircraft and ships improve performance of these assets. For example, SupplyCore has consistently pro-vided fill rates over 95 percent for all contract items in the Fleet Automotive Support Initiative-Global (FASI-G) contract. “Reduction of inventory being held by defense,

along with the high level of performance, would benefit the military,” Cotone said. He argued lack of asset visibility remains a large challenge to defense efficiency.

Effective inventory management drives operational efficiency and on-time completion of maintenance, repairs, overhauls and upgrades, stressed John Johnson, strategic account manager for CribMaster.

“Automation is a key component in minimizing support costs,” Johnson noted. “It is also very important that materials be located as close as possible to point of use, dry dock, flight line, and so forth.”

CribMaster’s inventory system controls material usage and cuts barriers to efficiency. It manages work-order instructions, maintenance, spare parts and inventories, using weight-sensing and RFID technolo-gies. It does item-level access control, inventory alerts, cost accounting and tracking of tools, kits, consumables and durables.

The software is Microsoft-certified and can run in virtually any IT architecture. It uses SQL or Oracle databases, allowing integration with ERP systems through data transfers. “This makes it easy to develop a unified, end-to-end solution for tracking maintenance inventory throughout the supply chain,” Johnson explained. CribMaster also aids in procurement and tool control. Comprehensive serialized tracking, calibration and inspection features ensure long-term accuracy.

Apart from software, CribMaster offers locker cabinets, carousels and divided drawers which can hold a broad range of tools, maintenance kits and inventory. Accessories include AccuDrawer for storage, last point read monitors to read RFID-enabled assets, handheld scanners to locate missing tools, PROTOid with built-in RFID and rfidDrawer, which offers rapid deployment of RFID tools without the full CribMas-ter.

Tools unaccounted for might be foreign object debris, a major con-cern for those working on aircraft. Using passive RFID, tool-tracking

Steve cotone

mark Hitch


For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Jeff McKaughan at [email protected] or search our online archives for related stories

at www.mlf-kmi.com.

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software and point-of-use dispensing, CribMaster tracks the movement of each tool in and out of the cabinet.

CribMaster and its dispensing devices have reduced inventory spend-ing by 20 to 30 percent in the first year, Johnson said. “Reductions in walk time, wait time and searching for lost materials are also well docu-mented. CribMaster drives efficiency and reduces costs by streamlining processes associated with life cycle support inventory from conception

to disposal.”IHS Solutions provides two-fold

help in reducing life cycle costs, explained Kevin Hearn, director of government sales, design and supply chain. “First, we provide solutions to the government for obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages [DMSMS]. Parts that are not produced anymore pose problems for the government on aging aircraft for systems. Those parts dry up.” IHS provides a heads-up on poten-

tial problems and finds the parts if they exist in stocks somewhere. The chief tool is IHS’s 4Donline Bill of Materials (BOM) Manager.

The second kind of help comes from IHS subcontractor, Trident Technical. Trident procures the scarce part and does the logistics to get it to the government customer, summarized Wally Shellhouse, co-owner of Trident. And if the part is simply unavailable, Trident uses its engi-neering expertise to find a replacement part with the right form, fit and function that will work without redesign of the entire system.

Other firms also provide obsolescence management, Hearn acknowl-edged. “But our competitors average 30 to 200 million individual parts in their database. We have over 340 million.” Shellhouse stressed that Trident does not manufacture replacement parts, so its recommenda-tions are neutral and highly competitive in pricing.

Hearn estimated that the combination of IHS data and tools with Trident’s service avoided $2.5 billion in costs over four years at one Air Force air logistics complex. “There are five Air Force locations, 12 Navy locations and how many Army locations? Think how much they could save.”

In addition to DMSMS assistance, IHS also supplies the government with data on critical metals, counterfeit parts, authorized distributors and environmental standards, for example on lead, so government can make smart procurement decisions without redesigning systems.

Hearn believes private firms like his can help reduce military life cycle costs by monitoring obsolescence and ensuring that selected components are long-lived, endorsed by OEMs for new designs and have many fit-form-function or drop-in replacements from several manufac-turers and that planning is done for last-time buys. IHS’s BOM Manager supports all these functions.

Industry could also help by designing systems that can be repaired, rather than fully replaced. “This could be accomplished by something as simple as reducing the number of proprietary COTS [commercial-off-the-shelf] items in the design,” Hearn noted. “This would reduce reliance on sub-vendors in sustaining the system.” In addition, more modular systems that allow for small pieces to be repaired or replaced would help. O

kevin Hearn


The military operates in tough environ-ments. Military equipment, in general, must be built to survive war. That includes com-puting devices such as personal computers, laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones. With troops depending increasingly on these devices, particularly tablets, breakage of their screens is a continual concern.

“Drops and shocks are the most common damages these pieces of technology see and are the most damaging to screens,” com-mented James Poole, director, federal, Pana-sonic System Communications Company of North America. “Not only are screens the weakest point, they are the most expensive and critical component.”

Many device screens are composed of liquid crystal displays (LCD) and are built primarily for commercial uses. Making LCDs particularly vulnerable is the fact they are exposed to elements—heat, cold, moisture, sand, snow, ice, rain, etc.—all at the same time. They must survive extended exposure to the harshest of elements. They must also be able to endure factors induced by the nature of the mission. This includes shock, drop, scratch, temperature, vibra-tion, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and explosive atmospheres—even nuclear and biological warfare.

“Screens often break because of the way LCDs are covered,” explained Vinita Jahan-wal, director of Mobile and Emerging Display and Technology at IHS, a market information firm. “The top of the LCD screens used to be made of plastic. Now with the onset of the touch interface, most devices have changed to glass to make this technology work. Even smartphones are using some type of chemi-cally strengthened glass.”

Corning Glass, Asahi Glass Company (AGC), and Schott Glass, offer brands cus-tomized to the applications of the electronics.

“These developments began primarily with the launch of the iPhone in 2007,” Jahanwal explained. Before then, most

cellphones were primarily of the clamshell design, which meant they had a hinge to open the phone. “That way, the body of the phone protected the screen,” she said. “But now with manufacturers placing more content on the phone, brand makers need to maximize their reliance on the glass so as not to waste real estate by providing keyboards.”

Enter touch technology, which needs a glass screen to work. “Such technology has filtered down to tablet-sized platforms—even computers that offer the Windows 8 operat-ing system, which is primarily a touch inter-face,” Jahanwal noted. “Even notebook PCs are moving to a touch interface.”

Since the launch of the iPhone, Corn-ing Glass has launched three versions of its Gorilla Glass with each version improving its hardness and ability to withstand more scratches and drops. AGC’s Dragontail, a chemically strengthened glass material that is six times stronger than conventional soda-lime glass, is highly resistant to scratch and features a pristine finish, especially when compared to resin.

Other solutions are underway, such as the use of sheets of sapphire as a cover screen.

“Sapphire has similar properties as glass and can make touch happen,” Jahanwal reported. “In fact, its electronic property is better, and sapphires can only be broken by diamonds.”

Sapphire is about 10 times more scratch resistant than normal window glass and around three times the strength and scratch resistance of Gorilla Glass. Although very expensive, the military is already using thin sheets of sapphire glass to create transparent armor. “Military requirements often overtake the cost because of their niche require-ments,” she added.

Those requirements include the abilities to work in harsh environments, withstand drops, handle extreme temperature and moisture variations, and water resistance.

MiliTary sTandards

The military has a wide range of military standards that guide industry as to the test conditions that a rugged system must meet to be qualified for fielding. The two most popu-lar environmental standards are Mil-STD-810 and Mil-STD 461, which are currently on their revision G and F, respectively.

“These tests look beyond the toughness of any one single component and evaluate the computer’s overall resistance to drops, shock, extreme temperatures, vibration and other factors,” Poole said.

Mil-STD-810 covers the governing test suite for physical ruggedization. Mil-STD 461 is the suite of tests for Electromagnetic compliance. Both are typically updated and maintained.

“In addition, equipment is sometimes tested using non-DoD standards,” reported West Kephart, vice president, Rugged Sys-tems Program Development for VT Miltope.

Underwriters Laboratories has several standards that specify a “ball drop test” onto displays. This test is comprised of a steel ball of specified weight being dropped from a specified height onto the display to verify structural integrity and capability.

Some requirements include the “boot kick” test, in which the display is impacted with a test device that simulates a steel-toe boot. “The thought behind this test is that warfighters climbing in and out of their vehicle may literally kick the display screen of the mounted computer and the display needs to be able to withstand that impact,” Kephart added.

indusTry responds

According to Kephart, the primary goal is to ruggedize the display to meet the environ-mental requirements without impacting the functional requirements or capability of the display. “This is not easy to do,” he said.

rugged coMpuTer screens for rugged environMenTs are a realiTy.By Karen e. ThuerMer, Mlf correspondenT


Dell Rugged notebooks are built for the extreme conditions you operate in every day.

The world can be a rough place, but the important work you do can’t stop just because the conditions are harsh. Dell has a family of ruggedized computing solutions designed to handle almost any situation with protection from drops, vibration and extreme temperatures. If you have a mission-critical job in a challenging environment, Dell has the end-to-end solution for you.

Learn More at Dell.com/rugged

At its best between a rock and a hard place

The trend today is toward the use of hard-ened glass. But manufacturers build their LCDs primarily for the commercial world. These LCDS do not typically meet all the requirements out of the box and need to be enhanced. Some enhancements may include changing out interior elements such as back-lights, or adding shock absorbers or external elements such as protective films.

“There are a few branded solutions in this area that are gaining in popularity,” remarked Poole.

Panasonic has its own hardened glass solution that it has been using for years. “As a result of this and the shock mounting of our screens, cracked or damaged screens are minimal, even in the most demanding envi-ronments,” Poole stated.

Panasonic’s computers are also purpose-built from the inside out for ruggedness and durability. “Panasonic was the first to encase LCD screens in magnesium alloy, which is 20 times stronger than ABS plastic,” he said.

Dell has introduced a number of technol-ogies to make its screens tough. One involves an optical-grade resin deposit that covers the front of the screen to protect it from damage when dropped. A lightweight, strong and impact-resistant custom polymer also goes in the back of the LCD screen.

“The final piece is the hinges that connect the LCD screen to the rest of the notebook,” explained Patrick Seidensticker, Dell market-ing director. “We use extra duty alloy, which protects against shock, drop and vibration.”

To protect the entire LCD inside the frame, the LCD is enclosed in its frame and encapsulated.

“The whole LCD floats inside that frame and is protected by bumpers on all sides and edges. It’s like being on a little pillow,” described Seidensticker. “You can only see it if you take the whole unit apart.”

Metal enclosures around the screens also play an important part in ruggedization. Companies like Otterbox provide ruggedized cases that pass drop and non-break tests—not just for the screen, but also the electronics inside the device so that they do not shift and break.

“That ruggedization helps to support non breakage of the entire device,” Jahanwal said. “Some cases come with sealants that with-stand moisture, water and drops. They use plastics or certain materials that seal the device both inside and outside.”

Panasonic’s measures to improve screen durability include not only chemically strengthened glass, but strengthening the

hinges that connect the screen to the laptop base, and shock mounting the screen within the case.

Panasonic also strengthens the edges of its laptops and tablets. The corners on all fully rugged tablets are further reinforced. The computers are entirely encased in mag-nesium alloy, including the screen. “This means that it can take a drop at any angle,” Poole explained.

“Typical non-rugged devices have little protection for the screen, moisture from humidity or condensation, extreme tempera-tures, etc.,” commented John Lamb, market-ing director for Getac.

Consequently, Getac has introduced an optical direct bonding solution it calls Lumi-Bond that fuses the screen layers together using optical bonding.

“We start with an impact-resistant cover glass similar to [that of] many smartphones on the market and add in the capacitive touch panel and LCD display,” Lamb explained. Each layer is fused together using a spe-cifically formulated optical clear resin. When three layers become one, the single final piece is thicker and able to withstand greater impact than each component as an individ-ual layer. Additionally, the reflective surfaces reduce from six edges down to two, aiding in sunlight readability.

According to Getac’s, not only does Lumi-Bond provide more crisp colors, it offers better sunlight readability, better brightness, better contrast ratio, and a better view angle. It also enhances the physical strength of the LCD panel and touchscreen assembly so that it can endure larger direct impacts of crush, shock, drop and vibration.

“The technology is being developed fur-ther for inclusions in future products that have yet to be announced,” Lamb revealed.

VT Miltope has adopted technologies as they have emerged such as trans-missive and trans-flective TFT displays, LED backlights, optical bonding, chemical strengthened glass, shock mounting, EMI mesh and indium tin oxide coatings.

“There is no one single technology,” Kephart explained. “Instead it is an art of bal-ancing all these technologies combined with meeting the functional and environmental requirements of our customers and offering that solution at a competitive price point. “

Touchscreens

Touchscreen technology can be equally complicated given that it is subjected to

environmental wear and tear. Touchscreen technologies include resistive, capacitive, IR, acoustic and touch pen. However, with each, trade-offs must be made.

“Capacitive is the most popular technol-ogy in the commercial world and in many cases as of late, the influx of commercial smartphones into the military world,” Keph-art remarked. While capacitive touchscreens are easy to use and highly sensitive, Kephart points out that is not the case when they get wet or if the user has gloves on, since capaci-tive touchscreens rely on direct contact with the skin of the finger.

“Touch pen solutions have a single point of failure in that if the pen is lost or bro-ken then the touchscreen no longer works,” Kephart added. “IR touchscreens do not have the same touch resolution as other, more common types of touchscreen technologies and emit a beam of IR which historically has been an undesirable attribute on the battlefield.”

Consequently, VT Miltope offers resistive touchscreens on its ultra-rugged products. “This technology is the most dependable,” he said. “Virtually anything can be used to touch the touchscreen—finger, gloved finger, sty-lus, etc.—so there is no single point of failure of a pen or stylus and there are no complica-tions of bare hands, specialized gloves or dry surfaces.”

Resistive touchscreens also can be con-structed to be very durable. “The outer surfaces can be made out of highly scratch-resistant Mylar or chemically strengthened glass,” Kephart explained. In the most recent years, controllers have been developed for multi-touch technology that works with resistive touchscreens.

But Kephart added that resistive touch-screens have the drawback of seeming to not be as responsive as capacitive touchscreens. “This is because the user has to push a bit harder than she/he would on a typical iPod or smartphone, which has now become the baseline of touchscreen performance,” he said.

Dell also has options for touchscreens for its rugged laptops. “Our touchscreens are based on a resistant touchscreen, so that troops can use these screens while wearing heavy gloves,” Seidensticker said. O


at www.mlf-kmi.com.


By Kelly fodel

Mlf correspondenT

educaTing The logisTician of Today is The BesT preparaTion for ToMorrow.

Logisticians perform a critical role in a highly complex and dynamic environment. They must be well-skilled in core logistics functions and processes; highly organized and disciplined; flexible and adaptable to changing requirements and conditions; and results-oriented, dedicated and determined to succeed in meeting the needs of the customer.

“The budgetary challenges during the sequestration of logistics services are to educate and examine our time management skills, metrics and technology,” said Dr. Oliver Hedgepeth, reverse logistics program director, American Military University. “Budget cutbacks help reduce inefficiency, more than they constrain the operational environ-ment. Today’s military logistician is engaged in the biggest reverse logistics operation in history, returning thousands of containers and equipment from the Middle East back to the U.S. Our logisticians are re-thinking new ways to load and track and trace our inventory. This budget uncertainty has led them to focus on operational certainty.”

“Successful logisticians are good planners with good analytic skills,” said Denver Tolliver, director, North Dakota State University Transportation and Logistics Program. “They are able to identify alternatives and apply their skills to choose among them. The ability to design and work within logistics systems is important. However, because of the unpredictable nature of operating in remote and some-times hostile areas, military logisticians must also be able to make decisions based on ground-level assessments with minimum informa-tion, and that often means functioning outside established systems.”

“Military logisticians often face unpredictable and unusual cir-cumstances related to the need to respond to military or humanitar-ian situations in practically any location on the globe,” said Mark C. Cramer, president, Institute for Defense and Business and executive director, Center of Excellence in Logistics and Technology. “The extremes faced by military logisticians are far beyond those experi-enced by those in most civilian industries, so it is critically important that class material and case studies and capstone activities be tailored to military students.”

The abilities and attributes of the logistician include: character, intellect, presence, inquisitiveness, critical thinking, professional

ethics, interpersonal skills, emotional maturity and leadership. Their primary competencies are supply chain management, life cycle sys-tems management, joint logistics planning and defense industrial base optimization. Shaped by doctrine of the Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO)/Joint Force 2020 (JF2020), the Department of Defense and the joint force will make some of the most important advancements from innovations in training, education, personnel management and leadership development. Within that framework, logistics leaders from across DoD are developing the educational archi-tecture for today’s logistician.

“As America’s combat logistics support agency, DLA logisticians are the primary members of the agency’s workforce and our principal customer-facing employees,” said Sam Henderson, Strategic Programs and Initiatives, DLA Logistics Operations directorate. “Our logisti-cians, in many cases, are physically embedded in service headquarters and combat command operations and directly support our customers. We also have teams in Afghanistan and Kuwait. Their primary mission as the DLA face to the customer is to interpret customer needs and relate those requirements back to the Agency’s various supply chains [Troop Support, Aviation, Land and Maritime] that satisfy those needs. The logistics expertise they deliver ensures the correct logistics solu-tions and fastest possible customer resolution at the least possible cost. The other two important areas that logisticians impact are the actual distribution of items and the collection and disposal of obsolete, unusable or unneeded items. Without the logistician, DLA would not be able to fulfill its mission.”

To meet the needs of the joint force, today’s logistician must be ready to support globally integrated operations. To meet the vision of CCJO/JF2020, a more modern, tailored education is required. It is essential for the logistician to receive a mix of education, training and experience that establishes a workforce who understand the joint logistics environment and who can harmonize logistics across the full range of military operations.

“At the most senior levels of DLA, we are involved with shaping and developing our future logisticians—participating in strategic councils led by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (L&MR) and the Joint Staff


(J4),” said Debbie Osborne, director of DLA training, DLA Human Resources Services directorate. “The objectives of these efforts will influence the future training/education and skill sets of DLA logisti-cians. DLA collaborates with military service schools to deliver training that enhances the servicemember’s understanding of DLA’s processes, functions, policies and logistics applications. This enables them to pro-vide effective and timely self-service when ordering needed supplies, conducting research and determining status, promoting improved budgeting and decision making at the unit level. The knowledge and skills gained are expanded and serve to create additional efficiencies when participants return to their units and share the tips and tech-niques they have learned.”

Early in a military logistician’s career, it is critical that they receive service-specific logistics training in doctrine, process, technology and related matters and soon thereafter gain a broader joint perspective. As they progress in their careers, in addition to additional military-specific training, it is important that logistics leaders develop broader knowledge bases across multiple fields and higher analytic, synthesis and evaluative capabilities. Critical thinking and adapting new con-cepts to achieve quantum improvements become increasingly impor-tant as the scope and breadth of logistician’s responsibilities increase.

In today’s competitive global transportation and logistics business climate, organizations are under pressure to adopt new procedural and technological trends to improve the visibility of product and cargo flows through an ever-widening and complex supply chain. “At AMU, we holistically examine how reverse logistics is being used in both the military and civilian logistics organization,” said Hedgepeth.

Military logistics training is the core of pure logistics in the com-mercial world. That core of military training has to be blended with the theories from the for-profit global and reverse logistics worlds. “We refine our curriculum at AMU by incorporating military and civilian logistics leaders as part of an industry advisory council, with whom we meet several times a year to address new areas of focus for the curricu-lum, and what technology and process lessons learned are impacting the military logistician,” explained Hedgepeth. “Our faculty includes both military and civilian experts in reverse and forward logistics. Military veterans teach our logistics courses to active duty logisticians and civilians who support the military. Our faculty members are con-sulted on a weekly basis on what changes in logistics are working and what does not seem to be working any longer. We listen to, and are partnered with, the military.”

“We believe strongly that education in private-sector logistics busi-ness practices, processes and technologies is a key to provide military logisticians with alternative approaches and models that can enable their efforts to achieve dramatic improvements,” IDB’s Cramer said.

The Institute for Defense and Business [IDB] has worked closely with numerous military commands, organizations and agencies to develop customized education programs since 2000. They include: the U.S. Army Materiel Command; the J4, Director of Logistics, the Joint Staff; the Task Force on Business and Stability Operations at DoD; the Business Transformation Agency and the Deputy Chief Management Officer at DoD; the Defense Logistics Agency; all the services; and the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security. These programs have expanded from their original focus on supply chain and logistics to also encompass military industrial base management, life cycle, stabilization and economic reconstruction, strategic studies and related areas.

In a collaborative and iterative process, the IDB works with the sponsoring organization to tailor curriculum to meet specific learning

objectives. According to Cramer: “We secure faculty from a variety of universities, as well as subject matter experts from the private sector and military, and deliver programs here in Chapel Hill, and around the country and internationally as well. Each program delivery is exten-sively evaluated and subsequent classes are modified to maximize the educational experience.”

Since 2000, the IDB in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School has admin-istered the Center of Excellence in Logistics and Technology (LOG-TECH). Through LOGTECH, well over 3,000 logisticians from DoD, DoD agencies, the services, joint commands, civilian agencies, allied militaries and the private sector have participated in logistics and tech-nology programs in Chapel Hill, N.C. The IU-UNC LogMBA developed as part of LOGTECH, is a hybrid in-residence and distance MBA tailored to logisticians, and it will enroll its 10th cohort in February 2014.

Also of note is the Depot and Arsenal Executive Leadership Pro-gram that will enroll its 11th cohort in the fall of 2013. All of the U.S. Army depot and arsenal commanders come through this seven-month program, as well as participants from the Marine Corps, Defense Logis-tics Agency, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force and the private sector.

The IDB has also developed and delivered a series of programs on logistics cooperation for stabilization and economic reconstruction, with the sponsorship of the J4, Director of Logistics. Most recently, the UNC-IDB Strategic Studies Fellows Program has enrolled 29 senior Army captains for a five-week program in Chapel Hill to broaden their strategic perspectives, and the IDB in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs has developed a program for medical logisticians called MedLog21.

“In our case at North Dakota State University, we work closely with the U.S. Army Logistics University at Fort Lee, Va., to align our programs to meet the needs of students,” said Tolliver. “The Master of Managerial Logistics program at NDS meets all 12 points of the National Logistics Curriculum Initiative at Army Logistics University. Beginning this fall, the program will be available in a distance learning format to make it more accessible to military students. NDSU provides transfer credits for students who have completed Army Logistics Uni-versity’s Theater Logistics Studies Program.”

Tolliver continued: “Military and civilian logistics professionals can learn a great deal from each other. For example, profit-driven logistics in the civilian world results in innovative approaches to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Those approaches are valuable for military logisticians as well. Similarly, the military’s need for robust and redundant supply chain management under uncertain and difficult circumstances can yield new approaches that can benefit private sector logistics.”

Graduates report that NDSU’s MML program has provided excellent background for their missions. For example, 2010 graduate Major Jer-emiah O’Connor of the 101st Sustainment Brigade, Fort Campbell, Ky., and officer in charge of a 200 Pax Forward Logistics Element in Kabul, Afghanistan, recently said, “The master of managerial logistics pro-gram at NDSU is the best possible preparation I could have conducted prior to this mission. The MML program gave me the supply chain theory, analytical tools, problem-solving strategies and communication skills necessary to improve logistics efficiency and effectiveness in the Regional Command Capital.”

DLA benefits from its partnerships with the military service schools primarily by leveraging and applying the knowledge and skills learned. Each DLA employee who attends a course or program will have a dif-ferent takeaway; how they leverage what they learn will depend on their


position and responsibilities within their organization. DLA continu-ously seeks opportunities to develop current and future leaders, prepare them to effectively navigate and manage leadership challenges, and develop competencies critical to maintaining supply chain excellence.

DLA collaborates with The Eisenhower School for National Secu-rity and Resource Strategy on shaping the curriculum of their Sup-ply Chain Management course, as well as collaborative efforts with the Defense Acquisition University. “DLA has worked with schools and institutions and they’ve worked with us, on many levels,” said Dan McLean, Materiel Policy, Process and Assessment, DLA Logistics Operations directorate. “Through course participation, DLA employees provide feedback that is used to shape or refine curriculum. In some instances, schools seek DLA subject matter expertise to provide brief-ings or overviews addressing logistics or specific aspects of the supply chain. DLA has also worked with other entities to include the Center for Joint and Strategic Logistics, military service schools, and other centers that provide core logistics learning.”

“With DLA’s highly skilled, diverse and agile workforce as the key-stone to our success, we are committed to continuously investing in the development of our workforce to ensure they have the skills and capa-bilities needed to support DLA’s current and future mission objectives,” said Osborne. “The needs and expectations of the warfighter, along with DLA’s other customers, continue to evolve. As such, DLA leverages existing relationships with schools and institutions, and logistics and leadership curriculums from a variety of military and university train-ing programs.”

“The key to developing and sustaining curriculum that is on point with military and other clients is to conduct frequent evaluations of all instructional blocks and instructors, listening carefully to the client organizations, as well as staying current on DoD and service logistics policies and plans,” said Cramer. “The IDB then is able to fashion cur-riculum responding to that input and bringing private-sector lessons to bear on addressing military challenges.”

Tolliver added, “We at NDS see the military’s input as an opportu-nity to enhance and improve our logistics curriculum. Improving our ability to meet the rigorous educational needs of military students will almost certainly improve our ability to meet the needs of traditional students. There are occasional challenges in being responsive in imple-menting program changes rapidly enough to meet the needs of our military cooperators.”

Admiral Eric T. Olson, an IDB Executive Fellow, summed this up well early this year in an IDB program when he noted that the speed of logistics is what controls the speed of war. Wars cannot be fought and won without the logisticians who develop and implement com-prehensive and effective logistics plans. Logisticians are indispensable partners to warfighters, who depend on them for what they fight with, travel in, communicate with, live in, wear, eat and drink. O

THE TOP CHOICE OF SERVICEMEMBERS. People talk. And right now, they’re talking about AMU. Built upon student referrals, AMU is the global leader in education for the U.S. military. Since we offer more than 80 online degrees, from Business to Transportation Logistics, you can do anything you set your mind to — whether in the military or transitioning out.

THE WORD IS OUT — BUT WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED. LEARN MORE AT WWW.AMUONLINE.COM/ML

*As reported by Military Times/Edge Magazine

We want you to make an informed decision about the university that’s right for you. For more about the graduation rate and median debt of students who completed each program, as well as other important information—visit www.APUS.edu/disclosure.

Military Logistics 0813.indd 1 8/2/13 1:32 PM


at www.mlf-kmi.com.


Compiled by Kmi media group staffSUPPLY CHAIN

Light Weight and Fire ResistantSetting a milestone for in-flight safety, commercial aerospace and

defense contractor AAR has developed a fire resistant container (FRC) that has proved capable of containing an onboard fire for up to six hours of flight. By partnering with DuPont, AAR was able to incorporate DuPont Kevlar brand fiber and Nomex XF flame barrier into the innovation, making it the lightest-weight FRC on the market, up to 30 percent lighter than aluminum containers.

Positive testing of the main deck container incorporating DuPont Kevlar and Nomex XF has benefits for cargo carriers at heightened risk of experiencing onboard fires linked to hazardous materials, chemicals or lithium batteries.

“This is an improvement over other fire-resistant containers, which give pilots anywhere from 18 minutes to four hours to land an aircraft from the time smoke detectors go off,” said Hector Plaza, vice president, The Americas, for Nordisk, the AAR subsidiary that collaborated with DuPont. “Our new product can provide the pilot up to six hours to land.”

“Regulatory agencies currently have no specification for certifica-tion of this type of product,” said William F. Weber, vice president, DuPont Protection Technologies. “So we’re actually well ahead of the current standard in developing a product that reduces fire risk while also providing weight savings. These are two significant benefits for air cargo carriers.”

The new FRC, which passed testing performed at Intertek, an inde-pendent third-party testing facility in San Antonio, Texas, is a main deck container designated with the airline industry code AAD, referring to its size and shape, which is over 485 cubic feet. Testing strictly measured fire containment, not blast resistance. Depending on the aircraft’s size, anywhere from 24 to 30 FRCs could fit inside the aircraft.

USS Wasp Maintenance and Modernization

BAE Systems announced, “We’re thrilled to welcome the U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship, USS Wasp [LHD 1], to our Norfolk, Va., shipyard where our team will execute a $110 million contract to perform maintenance and moderniza-tion to the vessel.”

The contract modification secures a fiscal year 2013 drydocking planned maintenance availability, which includes the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations and modifica-tions that will update and improve the ship’s military and technical capabilities.

Accommodating aircraft and amphibious vehicles, the USS Wasp was the Navy’s vessel of choice in responding to Hurricane Irene in 2011 as well as Super Storm Sandy in 2012, offering emergency communications assistance, air traffic control capabili-ties, and carrying aircraft and equip-ment. The U.S. Navy also relies on USS Wasp as the test platform for joint strike fighters.

The work will be performed in Norfolk and is expected to be completed by May 2014.

Final C-130J for Largest C-130J Group

On a rainy day in April 2010, one of the Air Force’s most reliable airframes was reborn for the 317th Airlift Group when the unit’s first C-130J Super Hercules was delivered by then-Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norton A. Schwartz. The arrival of the first C-130J began the 317th AG’s three-year transition from a 33-bird C-130H fleet into the largest J-model organization in the world.

On July 25, 2013, under equally dark and rainy skies, the final C-130J taxied onto a Dyess Air Force Base runway, announcing that the 317th Airlift Group’s order of 28 C-130Js had been fulfilled. Air Force tail number 5726, piloted

by General Paul J. Selva, Air Mobility Command commander [See the next issue of MLF for Gen. Selva’s interview], marked the fleet’s completion, bringing with it an increased mission capability for the group.

“The J-model offers substantial performance improvements over previous models, which will allow the 317th to efficiently and effectively

accomplish our mission of saving lives and sustaining our nation’s operations by training, mobilizing and employing these combat aircraft worldwide,” said Colonel Walter Ward, 317th Airlift Group commander. “The Air Force has entrusted

these highly capable aircraft to the hardworking, innovative men and women of the 317th, and we understand that—now more than ever—we have a responsibility to the American people to make the best use of our available resources.”

From December 2003 to April 2013, the 317th was continuously deployed overseas in support of combat operations. Over the course of 3,378 consecutive days, the group flew more than 57,000 sorties and recorded 95,000 flying hours, all while transitioning their fleet and aircrews from the C-130H to the C-130J.

By Airman 1st Class Peter Thompson, 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs


Compiled by Kmi media group staffSUPPLY CHAIN

Maneuver Support Vessel (Light)

The U.S. Army, Product Director, Army Watercraft Systems (PD AWS) intends to replace its fleet of Landing Craft Mechanized 8 Mod I and II (LCM-8) vessels with a vessel as described in emer-gent requirement development called the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) [MSV (L)].

The MSV (L) is an Army waterborne plat-form that will provide land maneuver forces with operational agility through tactically synchro-nized movement of combat-ready, tailored force elements. MSV (L) represents a modernization of current Army watercraft capabilities as provided by the aging LCM8 that adds new capabilities intended to meet the Army’s future tactical and operational movement and maneuver requirements.

The craft is intended to access austere entry points, degraded ports and bare beaches without dependency on support ashore, in support of land

maneuver support and/or maneuver sustainment operations. The MSV (L) will be capable of oper-ating throughout the littoral operational envi-ronment, maneuvering in shallow coastal waters, narrow inland waterways and rivers in support of widely dispersed, tailored force elements, even in anti-access/area denial environments.

The LCM-8 is a shallow draft, multipurpose vessel that transports cargo, troops and vehicles from ship to shore or in retrograde movements with roll-on/roll-off capability for wheeled and tracked vehicles. It is also utilized in lighterage operations and multipurpose utility work in harbors.

The LCM-8 has been in service since 1967. The vessel was originally procured with an expected economic useful life (EUL) of 25 years—meaning 1992.

The current Army fleet consists of 38 LCM-8 MOD Is and 6 LCM-8 MOD IIs (command and control variant).

PD AWS has a goal to issue a single contract to a prime contractor for fleet replacement of the LCM-8, with the MSV (L) to achieve greater maneuverability; and improved payload, protec-tion, and performance characteristics; including better reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM), thereby reducing operation and sustain-ment cost. The EUL is 30 years minimum, 40 years optimum.

Innovative Workload Management ToolsJames Glenn was hired into the Defense Logistic

Agency’s Pathways to Career Excellence (PaCE) Program in July 2012 and has developed two work-load-management tools that are getting noticed within the DLA Aviation community. Glenn designed an Excel workflow tracking spreadsheet and a new query method to take advantage of a little-known but very useful Material Master Review operation.

“The tool consolidates data associated with manual purchase requests and other work items into one location to allow for tracking of actions and suspense dates by product specialists,” he said.

As a product specialist, Glenn said he uses many different resources and touch-points to process work items and he developed the spreadsheet to allow him to pull needed item information into one condensed, easy-to-access location. He said the tool’s features and enhancements grew as his responsibili-ties and workload requirements grew.

DLA Aviation product specialists review purchase requests to make sure supply sources are valid, part numbers are correct, technical data

packages are complete and drawings are correct with the most up-to-date revisions available, and to ensure the item’s material master and total item record is updated prior to the acquisition specialists releasing a request for quote.

Glenn said the tool’s main benefit is it helps him proactively organize, prioritize and maintain detailed status of his workflow items as they are processed in DLA’s Enterprise Business System.

His workload is less than most product special-ists in the division because he said he is still in training; however, he is still responsible for three terminal digits. Terminal digits are the last two numbers in a national stock number within a particular federal supply class, such as lighting or cables.

DLA’s PaCE Program is a two-year training program designed to train entry-level personnel for subsequent advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative and technological career fields.

By Cathy Hopkins, DLA Aviation

SBIR Operational Energy and Power

Theme

Technological advances in electric power generation, distribution and use are enabling transformational military capabilities. Advanced power-generating technologies enable significant improvements in platform flexibility, survivability, lethality and effectiveness. The Army’s transfor-mation challenge is to develop a smaller, lighter and faster force, utilizing hybrid electric drive, electric armament and protection, and a reduced logistical footprint. The Navy is developing future ship concepts that integrate electric power into a next-generation architecture which enables directed energy weapons, electromagnetic launchers and recovery, new sensors, as well as supporting significant fuel, maintenance and manning reduc-tions. The Air Force needs electric power to replace complex mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic subsystems, and also enable advanced electric arma-ment systems. Improved power sources will support the individual soldier by permitting longer duration missions and reduced weight borne by the soldier.

The DoD Operational Energy Implementation Plan, March 2012, asked that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering identify investment gaps in the department’s science and technology portfolio necessary to reduce power demand, improve system efficiency and expand supply alternatives, as articulated in the DoD Operational Energy Strategy. In this assessment, the following areas were identified as gaps/priority areas: high-efficiency energy conversion; energy integrated design and simulation; high efficiency propulsion; environmental control systems; and flexible and adaptive power distribution.

In response, the latest OSD small business inno-vative research solicitation includes five projects to address these themes:

• Phase-change thermal buffers for environmental control unit efficiency improvement

• High-efficiency electric power manager for man-portable photovoltaic systems

• High-efficiency flexible photovoltaics• Ultra-high power density solid oxide fuel cell

stack for high-efficiency propulsion and power systems

• Precision in-cylinder pressure sensor system for heavy-duty diesel engines


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KNOW-HOWKNOW-HOWLogistics

When it comes to logistics, we know how to deliver integrated solutions that increase effi ciency, ensure operational readiness and improve services. DynCorp International has been providing base operations, supply chain management and infrastructure support worldwide for more than 60 years. Whether it’s fl eets, formations or functions, our global logistics capabilities help our government, military and commercial customers reduce costs and achieve new levels of performance and productivity at home and around the globe.

DynCorp International provides our customers with unique, tailored logistics solutions for an ever-changing world.

Dyncorp_knowhow_series_8.375x10.875.indd 3 5/21/13 3:11 PM

Lieutenant General William Faulkner was commissioned in 1982. Following completion of the Basic School and the Infan-try Officer’s Course in 1983, he was assigned to First Battalion, Sixth Marines, where he served as a rifle and weapons platoon commander, company executive officer, battalion adjutant and assistant S-4 officer. He was augmented into the regular Marine Corps in 1985 and received a directed lateral move to the logistics occupational field. From 1986-1989 he served with 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade as S-4 officer with Marine Air Base 24 then as assistant S-4 officer with Marine Aircraft Group 24.

Faulkner was a distinguished graduate from the Amphibi-ous Warfare School in Quantico, Va., in 1990. From 1990-1992, he served with Brigade Service Support Group 4 as assistant S-3 operations officer, participating in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He later served as the S-3 operations officer and was assigned to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the former Yugoslavia, where he participated in Operation Provide Promise, coordinating the delivery of humani-tarian relief into Bosnia and throughout Serbia. From 1993-1995 Faulkner was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, serving as an action officer in the Logistics Plans, Policies and Strategic Mobility Division of the Installations and Logistics Department. Following Headquarters Marine Corps, he attended Air Com-mand and Staff College in Montgomery, Ala., graduating with distinction in 1997. From 1997-1999 he was assigned to United States Central Command where he worked in the J4/Logistics Directorate. During this tour, he participated in Operations Southern Watch, Desert Fox and Noble Response. From 2000-2002, Faulkner served with 2d Force Service Support Group as the G-3 current operations officer before assuming command of MEU Service Support Group 26, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. With the 26th MEU, he deployed to Afghanistan and participated in Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Task Force 58.

Faulkner graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at National Defense University in 2003. From 2003-2005, he was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in the J4 Directorate, where he worked as a logistics operations officer in the National Military Command Center then as Section Head, Logistics Programs and Policy Division. In 2005, he was assigned

to 2d Force Service Support Group as the assistant chief of staff G-3. In May 2006, he activated and assumed command of Combat Logistics Regiment 27. In November 2006, he was assigned duty as the chief of staff of 2d Marine Logistics Group (Forward) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He returned from Iraq early 2008 and assumed command of 2d Marine Logistics Group in April. He turned over command of 2d Marine Logistics Group in late May 2008 and reported to III MEF where he commanded 3d Marine Logistics Group from May 2008 to June 2010. From June 2010 until August 2012 Faulkner served as vice director, J-4, Joint Staff.

Faulkner graduated from East Carolina University Class of 1982, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in business. He holds a master’s degree in business from Chaminade University and a Master of Science in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Q: What are the challenges of maintaining the force in place while also planning and executing the retrograde?

A: Our most important priority from a logistics perspective is providing the very best support to the Marines deployed to Opera-tion Enduring Freedom in order to maintain the nation’s premier crisis response force.

Lieutenant General William M. Faulkner Deputy Commandant for

Installations and LogisticsU.S. Marine Corps

Response LogisticianApplying Lessons Learned to the Future LOG Mission

Q&AQ&A


However, one of the challenges with supporting operations and retrograde simultaneously is being able to do the latter without degrading ongoing opera-tions and accepting no additional risk. With that in mind, we established a model in theater that ensures the retro-grade effort is all but transparent to those Marines operating in Regional Command South-West.

We created dedicated organizations within theater whose singular mission is to facilitate the retrograde of ground equipment back to home station. At the core of this model are Marines within our retrograde and redeployment in support of Reset and Reconstitution Operations Group [R4OG] based at Camp Leather-neck, Afghanistan.

The R4OG’s mission is essentially to shoulder the full logistical burden of equipment turn-in, agricultural and customs processing and transporta-tion booking and visibility so that our Marines operating as part of the OEF Marine air ground task force can remain engaged in the fight up to the last days before they depart the U.S. Central Command theater. This process has worked well and has been the hallmark of our success during last year’s post-surge recovery of equipment and sustainment stocks back to home station and today as we continue retrograde operations.

Q: You’ve recently said that the reset from the Afghanistan surge in 2009 is on track and running perhaps as much as $1 billion under the projected cost of $3.2 billion. What is the timeline and how have you been so effective in resetting the force?

A: We’re pleased with the pace and progress of our ground equip-ment reset effort. The post-surge recovery, which ended December 2012, was successful. Not only were we able to test and prove the viability of our strategy, but we also reduced our OEF equipment footprint by 60 percent while shrinking our sustainment stocks by about 70 percent. This puts us in a solid position with respect to maintaining a lean Marine air ground task force in theater, keeping only what we need to support the mission, and posturing for future force and equipment reductions.

Similarly, the repair and recapitalization of our war-torn equipment is on track. Of the equipment that has returned from Afghanistan, we’ve reset and returned about 31 percent of it back to the operating forces. Our remaining timeline is dependent on operational decisions associated with the pace of troop reductions.

We anticipate needing anywhere from two to three years after the end of hostilities in OEF to get all of our OEF equipment reset through the maintenance process.

To date, a great deal of our success has been a result of early planning as well as applying lessons learned from our experience in Iraq. For example, we’ve been able to increase the velocity of ground equipment reset by leveraging in-theater maintenance assessments to weed out those assets that, due to excessive wear or damage, are simply not economical to repair; thus preserving stra-

tegic lift capacity, minimizing transportation costs and mitigating congestion at our maintenance depots.

We’re also speeding up the process by retrograding non-depot level repair assets directly to the Marine Expeditionary Forces where we have forward positioned maintenance teams from Marine Corps Logistics Command on site to execute reset. This is a lesson we took away from Operation Iraqi Freedom, where the collection point for equipment returning from Iraq was largely our depot repair facilities, which we learned was slowing down the process. We’ve since changed that practice for the OEF retrograde, and consequently we’re able to get the equipment back into the hands of our Marines in a much shorter duration than we would have otherwise.

Q: There was a Corps-wide review to identify mission critical assets while at the same time identifying those assets for divesti-ture. What is the status of that review and what role does Instal-lations and Logistics [I&L] have in the process?

A: The Marine Corps has been undergoing a comprehensive review of its table of equipment [T/E] in order to align future capabilities with the future 182K end strength.

Part of that review included the Marine Corps’ decision on the enduring requirement for the mine resistant ambush protected vehicle, settling on a total quantity of just over 1,200.

Our role in I&L with respect to identifying mission criti-cal assets and those for divestiture is to ensure that the capa-bilities requirements and system procurement decisions are fully integrated into our retrograde and reset plan. This is a critical ingredient in making fiscally responsible drawdown decisions and determining what equipment will return home to fill critical shortfalls and what equipment will be divested in theater because we simply don’t have a future demand for it. It’s a fluid process that requires a great deal of teamwork and communication across the Marine Corps.

Ensuring that the right spare parts, in the right quantities, are in the right spot at the right time is all about supply chain management. Keeping the Super Cobra mission-ready depends on having those parts in the hands of a skilled maintenance team. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Marine Corps/Photo by Sgt. Gabriela Garcia]


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We have a superb cast of Marines and civilian Marines doing that coordination every day to ensure our transition out of Afghanistan is swift, efficient and in concert with emerging operational demands.

Q: Installations and permanent bases are huge energy consumers. What is the Marine Corps strat-egy to make their CONUS bases more energy efficient? What is the strategy to lighten the load on the Marine on the battlefield so he consumes less power—and there-fore has to carry less power? How expensive will it be for the Marines to become more energy efficient and is there a projected date at which point there will be a return on the investment?

A: I’ll start with installations. Since 2009, the Marine Corps has invested over $300 million to improve the energy efficiency of heating, cooling and lighting systems; install advanced metering infrastructure; and expand the utilization of renewable energy resources on our installations.

As a result of these efforts, we have reduced facility energy intensity—consumption per square foot—by over 18 percent from the 2003 baseline and are making significant progress toward meeting the congressional efficiency mandates to reduce by 30 percent by 2015.

Additionally, our on-site renewable power generation currently accounts for 5 percent of the electricity consumed on Marine Corps installations. Installation energy projects are prioritized based on return on investment. On average, projects have a simple payback of 10 years. Through these investments we have been able to significantly reduce our funding requirements for energy used by installations.

Notwithstanding our investments, the cost of energy resources remains volatile and our energy supplies continue to be vulnerable to potential manmade and natural disasters. Instability in both price and supply puts our installations and training areas at risk. Congressional legislation and presidential directives have man-dated Department of Defense installations to diversify supply and bolster the resiliency of energy-related infrastructure. To provide a framework and direction for installation leaders and personnel to address these concerns, the USMC Installations Energy Strategy was signed in late June 2013 promoting the following principles:

• Achieving success will require developing a Corps-wide ‘energy ethos’ based on the common understanding that the efficient use of vital energy resources has a positive impact on Marine Corps readiness.

• Continued implementation of prudent management practices and energy-efficient technologies will maximize funding available for investment in future operational capabilities.

• Further integration of renewable energy and alternative fuel resources will continue to produce utility cost savings and support energy security.

• Advanced metering infrastructure and building and utility control systems will provide decision makers with the capability to make informed operating decisions.

As for our operational energy strategy, the Marine Corps is investing in new and innovative ways to lighten the load for the individual Marine. Energy-efficient and renewable energy systems are essential to building a lighter, more capable MAGTF that goes farther and stays longer on every gallon of fuel, every kilowatt of energy it requires. These investments yield greater military capability, including increased tactical and operational tempo, and reduced vulnerabilities during resupply.

An example of out currently fielded capability is the solar portable alternative communications energy system [SPACES]. It is a lightweight, portable, renewable energy system designed to provide power for platoon and squad size units operating in remote locations. Marines use SPACES to recharge batteries that power communications equipment like SATCOM radios, reduc-ing the number of batteries carried on extended patrol. Marines deployed to OEF with SPACES were able to execute a three-week foot patrol without battery re-supply. Over the last two years in OEF, rechargeable XX90 batteries have lightened the load by 112 tons and saved $7.5 million [$12.2 million in 2010-2011 vs. $4.7 million in 2011-2012].

A future capability we are working on is the Marine austere patrolling system [MAPS] is an integrated, wearable solution that combines smart power management, conformal batteries, high-efficiency flexible solar photo voltaic panels, and an individual water filtration system. Currently in prototype form, this system simplifies power distribution and enables production of clean drinking water, lightening Marines’ carried load and eliminating the need for battery and water resupply in austere environments.

The marines have created dedicated organizations within theater whose singular mission is to facilitate the retrograde of ground equipment back to home station. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Marine Corps]


Q: What is the Marine Corps plan for the use of various technolo-gies—RFID, AIT, AIS, IUID—to increase asset visibility in the supply chain?

A: Within our enterprise total life cycle management framework, we have an equipment accountability and visibility integrated product team chartered to look holistically at our enterprise-level asset-visibility efforts and integrate and synthesize them to maxi-mize visibility across the supply chain. RFID, AIT, AIS and IUID have proven to be key technology enablers for us.

We have started a bottom-up and top-down review of DoD’s asset-visibility efforts, and we are developing a roadmap to identify AIT/AIS gaps internal and external to the Marine Corps.

Last November, we published an IUID ground equipment implementation plan to guide our efforts toward IUID imple-mentation across the Marine Corps. We initiated an RFID infra-structure modernization effort that consists of moving the entire Marine Corps RFID infrastructure—118 readers and interrogator sites at our bases and stations—from remote access servers/dial-up configuration to new Internet Protocol addresses for connec-tion to the national DoD RF-ITV server, as well as incorporating the passive RFID infrastructure into one standard infrastructure for both passive RFID and active RFID.

We are currently exploring additional opportunities for the use of Global Positioning System transceivers and satellite com-munication devices during the last tactical mile of distribution to

provide near real-time movement and location visibility of assets while in-transit between fixed locations.

Q: How do you see the Marine Corps utilizing performance-based logistics [PBLs] and contracted logistics support in the future?

A: In the current budget environment throughout the depart-ment, I see performance-based logistics [PBL] being a key support strategy for us.

In our acquisition and sustainment communities, we work continuously to evaluate and determine best-value product sup-port strategies, and then implement those strategies using the full range of product support arrangements. PBL gives us an effective means of targeting specific sustainment drivers so we can work to reduce total ownership costs, optimize operational effectiveness and satisfy performance objectives using support arrangements with clear lines of authority and responsibility.

A key example I can cite is the great work our light armored vehicle [LAV] program office is doing to implement next-genera-tion PBL initiatives. Last year, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness selected our LAV improved thermal sight system as the first system to be a pilot model for performance-based sustainment implementation. This pilot will be key in assisting other programs with implementation of best-value product support strategies and informing OSD-level PBL policy.

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I see contractor logistics support arrangements continuing in many regards as they exist today.

We’re working now to further identify commercial arrange-ments that lend themselves to meeting performance-based objectives. For many components, traditional organic support strategies will continue to provide best-value results, and we need to ensure that interim supply support arrangements cap-ture and report actual demands to facilitate transfer of support responsibilities from acquisition communities to sustainment communities and—in many cases—from commercial to organic support providers.

Q: What can you tell me about the Ground Equipment Portfolio Management Program?

A: Over the past decade, the Marine Corps has grown signifi-cantly in terms of overall war fighting capability. The number of principal end items in our ground equipment inventory has grown; the weight of our equipment has increased with all the up-armoring we’ve had to do to combat the IED threat; and our energy requirements have increased.

Much of this growth is neither sustainable nor affordable. We took a step back and looked at our ground equipment inventory and the various decision processes that drive the materiel man-agement of our ground equipment and supplies. It became evi-dent that we need a more integrated system-of-systems to reduce

equipment inventories, prioritize our maintenance requirements and right-size supply inventories, with the goal of maximizing the use of limited resources and providing cost-effective ways to increase readiness.

The ground equipment portfolio management concept is, at its core, a governance construct that will give us the ability to better integrate and synthesize the various decision processes in the areas of requirements development, acquisition and sus-tainment, and create a forum where actions can be combined to maximize asset availability across the Marine Corps, main-tain high equipment readiness levels that support war fighting requirements, and optimize investment decisions across our capability portfolios.

Q: What is the vision for the future incorporation of unmanned supply systems for Marines at the edge of the fight?

A: In support of enhanced company operations, distributed operations and USMC Strategic Vision 2025, both manned and unmanned supply systems will be essential to support future expeditionary operations.

Along with USMC assault support, cargo resupply unmanned aircraft systems [CRUAS] and aerial delivery and joint precision air drop systems [JPADs] create a combination of options for USMC ground and aviation logistics that increase the range of operations and enhance force protection by reducing the number of convoys on the road.

We are taking a systems view of tactical distribution in the battlespace to align current and future capabilities.

The KMAX CRUAS has delivered more than 3 million pounds of cargo to Marines in combat, eliminating the requirement for approximately 600 convoy vehicles, and validating the concept of unmanned aerial systems. We are studying what we have learned from KMAX and JPAD operations to determine the specific unmanned requirement. The Marine Corps is now taking steps to make it a program of record by developing the requirement through the capabilities development process. For JPADs we are making significant progress in resolving current recovery and retrograde challenges.

As we move forward we will ensure that the various delivery options that enable us to support logistics from the sea or shore-based [tilt rotor, rotary wing, fixed wing, aerial delivery—USAF and USMC, manned convoys, CRUAS and JPADs] are comple-mentary and aligned to warfighter needs. The Marine Corps is refining these specific capabilities and incorporating them into the future acquisition plans.

Q: In the Marine Corps of the future, will the size of the logisti-cian force increase, decrease or stay the same?

A: Based on the current plan to reduce the Marine Corps from 202,000 to 182,100 by fiscal year 2017, we anticipate an approxi-mately 5 percent decrease to our active component ground logisticians.

Considering the Marine Corps overall force is being reduced by 10 percent, I believe our logisticians have fared quite well and this shows the importance of and the Corps commitment to pro-viding our warfighters with the best possible logistical support to maintain readiness across the Marine Corps.

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Q: Any closing thoughts?

A: Our logisticians are experienced warfighters from over a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, able to provide support in any environ-ment and under any conditions.

Combat logistics operations overseas have hardened our Marines and sailors into seasoned professionals who are used to working with all elements of the MAGTF, the other services and our allies. We now possess some of the most innovative, versatile, technologically savvy and agile logisticians our Corps has ever known.

This breadth of experience will ensure further success as we reorient to the Pacific. Our role has never been more critical as we train and operate alongside our partner nations in future security cooperation missions and in any environment—permissive or non-permissive.

We will continue to meet the variety of potential conventional and irregular threats because of our expeditionary ethos, the many lessons learned from the global war on terrorism, and the fundamen-tal ability of our Marines and sailors to adjust rapidly to missions in any clime or place.

We have just published The Marine Corps Installations and Logistics Roadmap, which provides strategic level direction to develop logistics and logisticians for 21st-century expeditionary operations. The Marine Corps’ ability to rapidly generate combat power, deploy and operate across the full range of military operations is driven by logistics, including installations.

Our mission is to provide logistics to ensure an always-ready and capable expeditionary crisis-response force. We will enable 21st-century expeditionary operations through profes-sional logisticians, transformational logistics processes, innova-tive technologies, and a fully integrated logistics enterprise. Our efforts will result in modern logistical capabilities prepared to operate across the ROMO [range of military operations]. We will revitalize and integrate logistics training, education and doctrine to develop logisticians that are prepared for the future operating environment. Finally, we will execute an advocacy construct for MAGTF and installations logistics and logisticians that deliver ready people, the right capabilities, and responsive organizations.

Our bases and stations are the Marine Corps’ ultimate deploy-ment platforms. They are home for Marines and their families. They are where MAGTFs train and hone battle readiness. And they are the deployment platforms from which expeditionary forces fight and win the nation’s battles.

Our Marine Corps installations are key assets in the deploy-ment of the operating forces, and in the management of ocean, coastal, riverine, inland and airspace training areas.

Marine Corps Installation Command’s focus of effort is its full commitment to ensuring force readiness; it is the bench-mark to measure the command’s scope of responsibility, its enduring focus on Marine Corps bases and stations across the globe, and its obligation to be good stewards of our resources for the Corps. O

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While unmanned systems have grabbed a host of headlines for their role in U.S. military operations in recent years, most of the attention has been on the platforms themselves, not on what it takes to keep them in service. But unmanned systems maintenance has emerged as an important and sizable line of work for the defense industry.

That trend was underscored in Novem-ber 2012, when the Air Force awarded Bat-tlespace Flight Services LLC a multi-year contract worth up to $950 million to pro-vide flight-line maintenance overseas and in the United States for MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft, ground control stations and support equipment. That’s a significant sum, especially in an era of defense budget constraints.

Defense contractors that perform main-tenance on unmanned systems, especially unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), say they go to great lengths to provide and improve their services. The field is also getting help from new academic programs that train UAS maintenance technicians.

full specTruM susTainMenT

Textron Systems’ AAI Logistics and Tech-nical Services has provided full-spectrum sustainment services for the U.S. Army’s RQ-7B Shadow tactical UAS for more than eight years. Shadow was built by another Textron Systems unit, AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

“Our efforts ramped up along with the customer’s requirements to include sup-port in two theaters of war, and we continue to provide high-impact support for deployed forces in Afghanistan in keep-ing with the platform’s high operational tempo,” said Mark Hitch, senior business development director at AAI Logistics and

Technical Services. “Shadow systems are known as an Army workhorse for intelli-gence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as other missions, and it’s incumbent on us to ensure their mission readiness.”

AAI Logistics and Technical Services employees train, deploy and work alongside their customer in theater to ensure system availability through maintenance, sustain-ment services, launch and recovery support, and, in some cases, operational support. AAI also provides classroom and hands-on instruction at Dugway Prov-ing Ground in Utah.

“All of these efforts are focused on increasing system availability and decreasing system life cycle cost,” Hitch said. “We have achieved sig-nificant reductions in cost per flight hour and cost of readiness. Just in the past few years, we’ve realized mil-lions in hard program sav-ings based on our continuous improvement methodologies, while sup-porting rigorous operational tempos.”

Supply chain management is integral to AAI’s support activities.

“We work closely with vendors to assess the need for spares and repair interven-

tion,” Hitch said. “Where we can handle repairs organi-cally through the skill sets of our own experts, we’ll do so to cut down on time and cost for the customer. Where vendor intervention is required for provision of spares or repair services, we partner with them to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. We also assist with configu-ration management, in many

cases working at even the component level to determine whether there are areas in which there are reuse possibilities or other applications.”

operaTions and MainTenance services

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) provides a wide range of opera-tions and maintenance services, including field service representatives, supply chain logistics, depot repairs and warehousing support. These activities span 50 sites on four continents and support the GA-ASI-built MQ-1 Predator (Predator A), MQ-9 Reaper (Predator B), Sky Warrior A and

MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS. Predator A and Predator

B complete 99.1 percent of their planned sorties, while Sky Warrior A and Gray Eagle have a full mission capable rate of 94 to 99 percent, according to GA-ASI.

“Every second of every day, 54 Predator/Gray Eagle-series aircraft are airborne worldwide, with the GA-ASI family of UAS amassing more

than 2.3 million flight hours to date,” said Chris Pehrson, GA-ASI director of strategic development.

To help design changes that improve reliability and reduce unscheduled mainte-nance, GA-ASI enters all unscheduled main-tenance into its failure reporting, analysis and corrective action system.

“Through this rigorous analysis, we have reduced Predator A unscheduled repairs suc-cessfully from over four per 100 flight hours in 2003 to the current rate of .63 unsched-uled parts per 100 flight hours,” Pehrson said. “Predator B’s rate is even lower at .5 unscheduled parts per 100 flight hours.”

end-To-end MainTenance

Lockheed Martin, along with Kaman and Swanson, provides end-to-end maintenance of the K-Max unmanned helicopter, and the platform’s durability has helped minimize the need for such maintenance, said Jon

Maintaining Unmanned Systems

mark Hitch

chris Pehrson

as unManned sysTeMs have proliferaTed, so have indusTry efforTs To MainTain TheM.

By Marc selinger, Mlf correspondenT


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We bring customers all the benefits of decades-long experience, as well as skilled and dedicated logisticians, instructors and operators who are keenly focused on creating efficiency and value. From unmanned systems operations and support, to simulation and training, to system maintenance and sustainment, AAI Logistics & Technical Services stands ready to deliver affordable solutions for outstanding availability.

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McMillen, Lockheed Martin’s K-Max busi-ness development lead.

“Because its original design was for the logging industry, K-Max has proven very rugged and reliable, requiring only 1.4 maintenance man hours per flight hour in our deployed operations,” McMillen said. “In comparison to other mil-itary rotary wing platforms, this is an order of magnitude less. The original airframe design was optimized around the concept of sending a pilot and mechanic into the field for several weeks at a time with all maintenance conducted in remote or aus-tere locations. The design has transitioned well into the unmanned variant because it allows us to focus on developing advanced autonomy systems rather than improving airframe reliability.”

K-Max has held up well in even difficult environments, such as dusty, windy condi-tions in Afghanistan, according to McMillen

“During routine inspections and main-tenance, we find dust and sand just about everywhere, yet the design and reliability of the K-Max has not been affected,” McMillen said. “Though it can be a challenge to get spare parts to remote locations in Afghani-stan, we continue to see no issues as we plan well in advance to keep the proper reserves in place and provide our maintain-ers with the spare parts and components for routine maintenance.”

MainTenance and ModernizaTion

Northrop Grumman, which supports the U.S. Army’s MQ-5B Hunter, trains operators and maintainers and deploys alongside its customer to provide logistics support, including flight-line maintenance.

“Deployed logistics pro-vide for immediate availabil-ity, less aircraft downtime, and a cost-effective way of managing the supply chain,” said Rob Sova, the company’s Hunter program manager.

The company has also gone beyond maintenance to provide modernization. Hunter is the first Army unmanned aircraft to be equipped with a tactical common datalink; an automatic

takeoff and landing system using differen-tial or improved location accuracy GPS’ an operational heavy-fuel engine; a communi-

cations relay; a signals intel-ligence payload, and various multi-intelligence payloads.

“The U.S. Army’s MQ-5B Hunter is a prime example of a program Northrop Grum-man not only operates and sustains, but has continued to improve based on Army requirements since the pro-gram’s inception more than 20 years ago,” Sova said.

In addition, Northrop Grumman said the mission-capable rate of its Global Hawk aircraft rose from approxi-mately 52 percent in fiscal year 2011 to nearly 78 percent in 2012, and has now exceeded the Air Force’s goal for 24 con-secutive months.

“This increase allowed the Global Hawk team to execute and fly more than 13,400 hours last year,” said Jessica Burtness, spokeswoman for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. “The Global Hawk team also simultaneously fielded an additional seven Global Hawk aircraft, which included the Block 30M airborne signals intelligence payload and the Block 40 ground mov-ing target indicator and synthetic aperture radar.”

Burtness said two reliability and main-tainability initiatives have helped increase the aircraft’s availability rates. Durability and damage tolerance analysis resulted in reducing the frequency of non-destructive inspections from 75 flights to 150. And an engine turbine upgrade increased engine depot overhaul intervals from 2,500 flight hours to 3,000.

degreed supporT

With grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, Northland Com-munity & Technical College in Minnesota created a first-of-its-kind, two-semester certificate program that focuses on maintaining and repairing components of UAS, including unmanned aircraft, ground control sta-tions and communication

gear. The program graduated its first class of students in May 2012.

“Courses are designed to create a skilled UAS maintenance technician with a broad understanding of commonly used UAS platforms at the functional level,” according to the college’s website.

The program has helped its students land coveted jobs with defense contractors, such as Northrop Grumman, said Jonathan Beck, Northland’s UAS program manager.

“It’s definitely meeting the needs of the technological changes over the last 10 years that haven’t had set standards,” Beck said.

Northland has had discussions with other schools across the country that are exploring options for similar programs. It has also worked with the National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Tech-nologies to develop nationwide standards for UAS maintenance education.

The Alabama Aviation Center, part of Enterprise State Community College (ESCC), announced in January 2013 that it will create Alabama’s first UAS mainte-nance program. ESCC received a $360,000 state grant to develop and launch the first phase of the program, which is tentatively scheduled to begin in January 2014.

ESSC’s grant application was supported by the Ozark-Dale County Economic Devel-opment Corp. (ODEC) and private-sector companies that are interested in expanding their unmanned aircraft capabilities.

“With its proximity to the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker and the many aviation businesses in our region, ESCC’s ability to provide comprehensive aircraft maintenance train-ing will boost our ability to recruit and retain employers seeking such expertise for their employees,” said Eric Basinger, ODEC’s executive director.

“The challenge of converting a manned helicopter into an unmanned-only aerial vehicle requires skills that are not taught in traditional aviation mechanic train-ing programs,” said Barry Ford, general manager of Bell Helicopter-Ozark. “The Alabama Aviation Center’s creation of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Maintenance Program will provide immediate and last-ing benefits to its students, the local econ-omy and industry alike.” O

Jon mcmillen

rob Sova


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advErtisErs indExAAI Logistics & Technical Services ....................................................... 25www.aaicorp.comAM General ............................................................................................. 19www.amgeneral.comAmerican Military University ............................................................... 13www.amuonline.com/mlCribMaster................................................................................................ 7www.cribmaster.com/missionreadyDell ............................................................................................................ 9www.dell.com/ruggedDynCorp International ......................................................................... 16www.dyn-intl.comIHS ............................................................................................................ 3www.ihs.comManTech ................................................................................................. 21www.mantech.comNational Industries for the Blind ........................................................ C3www.nib.orgOshkosh Corporation Defense ............................................................. C2www.oshkoshdefense.com/jltvSAIC ......................................................................................................... C4www.saic.com/logisticsStanley Vidmar ...................................................................................... 22www.stanleyvidmar.com/UPSupplyCore ............................................................................................... 1www.supplycore.comW.W. Williams Logistics ......................................................................... 23www.wwwilliams.com

CalEndar

September 16-18, 2013Air & Space ConferenceNational Harbor, Md.www.afa.org

September 20-23, 2013NGAUS ConferenceHonolulu, Hawaiiwww.ngausconference.com

September 24-26, 2013Modern Day MarineQuantico, Va.www.marinecorpsexpos.com

October 21-23, 2013AUSA ConferenceWashington, D.C.www.ausa.org

October 31-November 3, 2013Airlift/Tanker Association Convention/SymposiumOrlando, Fla.www.atalink.org

November 18-21, 2013DoD Maintenance SymposiumLong Beach, Calif.www.sae.org/events/dod/

December 3-5, 2013Defense LogisticsAlexandria, Va.www.defenselog.com

Northrop Grumman Technical Services ............................................ C2www.northropgrumman.com/logisticsNorthrop Grumman Technical Services ...........................................2-3www.northropgrumman.com/performance

Special pUll-OUT SUppleMeNT

MLF RESOURCE CENTER

FeaturesMateriel Handling equipmentPurpose-built equipment eases the transfer, loading and unloading of military cargo.

securing the supply ChainEnsuring supply chain security and viability during a drawdown requires coordination between the services and industry.

aviation Contractor Logistics supportThe benefits of non-organic aviation logistics support and what the future contributions will likely be.

september 2013Vol. 7, Issue 8nEXtISSUE

The Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community

INSERTION ORDER DEADLINE: AUGUST 23, 2013 AD MATERIAL DEADLINE: AUGUST 30, 2013

WHo’s WHoAir Logistics Complexes

Exclusive interviews and pictorial from all three Air Force air logistics complexes.

Bonus DIstrIButIonAir & Space Conference

Modern Day Marine

Cover and In-Depth Interview with:Gen. Paul selvaCommanderAir Force Air Mobility Command

sPeCIaL seCtIonMilitary MroMaintenance, overhaul and repair are the fundamental services that keep the air mobility fleet moving.


Q: How would you describe AAR Airlift’s position within the DoD logistics enterprise?

A: AAR Airlift is the DoD’s largest FAA Part 135 OCONUS aviation provider. On any given day, Airlift will fly 140 hours, move 135,000 pounds of cargo, and transport 1,150 pas-sengers with a variety of rotary wing and STOL fixed wing aircraft in some of the most austere and challenging expeditionary envi-ronments on earth. This capability provides operational maneuver, resupply and sustain-ment to America’s forces and her allies. It is also critical to our nation’s war fighting efforts and is likely to become more so under arduous budgetary environments.

Q: What are AAR’s strengths and how best can you partner with the military?

A: AAR offers a unique mix of capabilities that range from MRO and logistics support to spe-cialized mobility and communications equip-ment. Our Airlift business operates medium, heavy and super heavy rotary wing aircraft as well as light and medium STOL fixed wing aircraft. Our fleet is also capable of operating in a passenger, cargo [internal or external for rotary wing], or combination configuration. We can also employ a strong suite of capa-bilities, such as airdrop, casualty evacuation, or search and rescue that complement aus-tere and expeditionary aviation operations. Combining these capabilities with extensive experience supporting DoD in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa allows us to offer DoD a wide range of tailor-made applications to support their intra-theater logistics needs.

Q: What are the primary challenges facing AAR’s military logistics operations?

A: The drawdown in Afghanistan represents an inflection point for all aviation providers in that area. We are cautiously optimistic that, as DoD logistics resources are reduced and other U.S. agencies continue or expand their engagement with the Afghan government, the requirement for our services will remain relatively steady or potentially even grow. But that remains to be seen, and, of course, whether the security environment will remain

acceptably permissive for our operations is another unknown. So it’s important we mitigate these risks and diversify our operations.

Q: What does AAR bring to the table in help-ing DoD meet their challenges?

A: America’s robust and entrepreneurial commercial environment provides an asym-metrical war fighting advantage in a variety of areas. Where commercial operators can provide air transportation capabilities simi-lar to their DoD counterparts, competition and efficiencies born of specialization almost always drive more flexible and affordable options than organic DoD solutions. Our ability to provide a tailored mix of utility air-craft provides cost advantages over uniformed alternatives and frees our service men and women to focus on their core war fighting competencies.

Q: How are you positioned to move forward and grow?

A: Over the next year we will continue to rationalize our fleet for economies of scale and for maintenance, logistics and opera-tional efficiencies. At the same time, we will add new competitive fleet types such as Super Puma variants in the heavy rotary wing airlift category. Within the next couple of months we will also further distinguish ourselves from our competition by enhancing our suite of capabilities that are compatible with aus-tere and expeditionary operations such as night vision devices, low cost/low altitude airdrop, casualty and medical evacuation, and integrated services. Finally, you can expect us to enter new markets both within and outside U.S. government operations.

Q: Does AAR see industry partnerships as a part of your strategic plan?

A: In terms of teaming, our strategy speaks to both strategic relationships and industry partnerships. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that we deliver to the customer’s expectations so consistently that we justify their trust and earn their repeat business. So our teaming naturally revolves around rela-tionships that enable performance.

On the supply side, it’s critical to our growth and our operational performance expectations that we retain strategic relation-ships with, for example, original equipment manufacturers [OEMs] that give us access to aircraft and parts in short order, at competitive rates, and through contract structures well-suited to our target markets. That leads to greater customer satisfaction, better margins, more opportunity for us, and more business for our OEM partners.

On the demand side, sometimes the best value proposition for the customer is an inte-grated service which includes capabilities or expertise beyond our core competencies. That’s when it is imperative to have industry partners who complement our capabilities while also sharing our passion for perfor-mance, safety and integrity-based business.

Q: What are AAR’s near term goals?

A: Key objectives for Airlift include further solidifying our presence in DoD, expanding our operations with other U.S. and foreign governmental agencies, and commercial diversification opportunities such as resource extraction, non-governmental organizations or prime vendors. But we strongly believe all elements of an organization—such as struc-ture, team work, a culture of empowerment and accountability, trust, respect, and com-mon core values—are integral to optimiz-ing financial and operational performance. Our annual goals include everything from workforce development to safety, continuous process improvement, and specific financial performance. These goals are memorialized by our annual strategic planning team with milestones and metrics to assess progress. O

[email protected]

Steven B. HarrisonChief Commercial Officer

AAR Airlift Group

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW Military Logistics Forum


Through the sale of more than 3,500 products and services, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and its network of associated nonprofit agencies are the nation’s largest employer of people who are blind.

NIB is your supply chain solutions partner

NIB Services Development 1-866-573-3748 • [email protected] • www.NIB.orgGSA Contract Vehicle: GS-00F-0032P

Call us to get the last piece of the puzzle.• 3PL Provider • Inventory Management • Warehouse and Distribution • Ready Supply Stores • Kitting Services • Contract Management Support Services

The U.S. military needs reliable operational availability at a low life-cycle cost.

To provide this affordable readiness, SAIC delivers a wide range of logistics, product

support, and supply chain management solutions. Smart people solving hard problems.

Visit us at saic.com/logistics

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SAIC’s full page ad for Military Logistics Forum. Trim size (8.375 in x 10.875 in). 2/29/12

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