The Protection Logistics Company is rising provide chain visibility of the F-35 joint strike fighter whereas working to spice up readiness.
“As the primary logistics entity for the Division of Protection, we now have worldwide storage and distribution belongings in partnership with U.S. Transportation Command that allow us to satisfy calls for and likewise widen the federal government’s visibility of components,” Rick Teal, program supervisor for DLA’s F-35 Provide Chain Integration Program, mentioned.
DLA is coming into its third 12 months because the product help supplier for North American Regional Warehousing, wherein it shops F-35 retail components at six DLA Distribution warehouses positioned at Air Drive and Navy industrial websites. Two DLA Distribution facilities additionally help world wholesale calls for for the F-35 jet and propulsion methods by storing components in help of the F-35 International Spares Pool. The GSP replenishes provides for over 860 F-35s fielded to 16 international locations — 8 allied associate nations and eight international army gross sales prospects.
F-35 sustainment follows a contractor logistics help mannequin that makes business trade answerable for guaranteeing methods are prepared for operation when and the place the army providers want them. If mission readiness and efficiency outcomes shift, nonetheless, army officers want visibility throughout the provision chain to grasp why and to handle causes with trade.
“With legacy plane, we are able to see the place all the pieces is transferring, the way it’s transferring, why it is transferring and the place the hiccups are,” Teal mentioned, including that the DOD has taken steps to be extra concerned in sustainment, shifting to what he referred to as an natural administration course of that makes DLA a key contributor to operational success.
“The primary try to creating the provision chain extra organically seen was to face up DLA Distribution help, and because the fleet grows with completely different logistics and sustainment ideas evolving, we’ll proceed to develop too,” he mentioned.
The fleet is anticipated to swell to 1,400-plus plane by the top of 2025 at over 26 bases, 10 ships and worldwide industrial websites. DLA and TRANSCOM are working with the F-35 Joint Program Workplace and the Lightning Sustainment Middle, a DOD-led staff that features worldwide companions and trade, to stipulate near-term warehousing and transportation necessities.
DLA can also be within the early planning levels with the F-35 JPO and providers to find out tips on how to greatest switch sustainment administration actions from the contractor to the Air Drive and Navy as laid out in Part 142 of the 2022 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act.
“At this juncture the planning is immature, and though it shifts sustainment obligations from the prime contractors to the providers, modifications will proceed to leverage natural authorities services, capabilities and methods along with industrial capabilities — similar to our help for different weapons methods,” Teal mentioned.
The group will undergo a provisioning course of to find out what components of the plane will probably be mounted in-house or commercially and what provides should be stocked so DLA can catalog the gadgets, create Nationwide Inventory Numbers and keep that data in authorities methods.
“As a substitute of cataloging main methods finish to finish, DLA catalogs primarily these components which are going to be going by way of the provision chain repeatedly, issues that we all know we will purchase on a recurring foundation as a result of our prospects have a gentle want for them,” Teal continued.
Though cataloging can take years to finish, it is anticipated to end in easy accessibility to a spread of provide chain knowledge as a result of it is saved in authorities methods quite than trade’s, he mentioned. That allows management to higher measure efficiency metrics and take corrective measures on distinct provide chain points.
DLA is already sending F-35 parts to prospects deployed in help of U.S., joint and worldwide missions, however higher provide chain visibility will enhance that help particularly in contested environments, Teal added.
DLA is continuous to construct upon present help as changes in F-35 sustainment construction are deliberate, applied and examined. DLA Distribution and TRANSCOM lately completed the second part of take a look at shipments to associate nations wherein TRANSCOM belongings — a mix of natural airlift and contracted business sources like FedEx and UPS — examined importing and exporting of F-35 provides together with hazardous materials to the 2 associate nations.
Tapping into TRANSCOM transport capabilities strengthens distribution efforts for the reason that command has well-established routes and modes of transport and permits in-transit visibility, Teal mentioned. And that is prone to proceed because the Air Drive and Navy assume sustainment accountability, he added.
DLA Disposition Companies can also be accepting F-35 belongings for demilitarization and disposal from U.S. and worldwide prospects, a mission that is additionally anticipated to construct as extra methods are fielded, extra jets fly and restore cycles enhance.