The Effect on Aircraft Readiness and Sustainability of Depot Maintenance Funding
Abstract
In the fall of 1987, the Air Force was faced with large cuts in Depot Purchased Equipment (DPEM) appropriations, which support depot overhaul of airframes and engines, component repair, and other maintenance activities. Recent Program Objective Memorandum (POM) estimates of DPEM requirements have been overstated compared to actual obligations, and that overstating diminishes confidence in the requirements estimation process. Contributing to this crisis of confidence is the observation that previous cuts in DPEM funding have had no discernible effect on peacetime readiness as measured by mission capable (MC) rates. Consequently, the Air Force wishes to quantify the effects of the cuts in DPEM appropriations on peacetime readiness and on wartime sustainability. In this report, we provide preliminary information on that issue. In the event of a shortage of serviceable spare parts, the maintenance and repair personnel of an Air Force squadron have the option of withdrawing the needed parts from its War Readiness Spares kit (WRSK). When a part is withdrawn from the WRSK, it is used to support peacetime operations and the WRSK is not fully capable of serving its intended purpose - at least until a like part in serviceable condition is returned to it. In this case, peacetime MC rates do not decrease, but wartime sustainability does because of the withdrawal of the asset. (jhd)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA217124
Entities
People
- Richard C. Scalzo
Organizations
- LMI