Lean Logistics and Its Impact on the USAF Spares Requirement.
Abstract
Declining funding and a continuing desire to improve logistics support have led the United States Air Force to launch the Lean Logistics program. Lean Logistics is a loosely linked set of initiatives aimed at improving processes in the management of aircraft reparable spare parts. It is chiefly aimed at increasing responsiveness by shortening the flow times for serviceable and unserviceable components through the supply and maintenance system. Lean Logistics has significant potential for improving aircraft readiness and controlling support costs, and we present some estimates of potential cost reductions- here. But the program has also caused some confusion in the Air Force logistics community, with some claiming that Lean Logistics necessitates that the Air Force develop new methods for setting required spares levels. In fact, as we will demonstrate, the Air Force requirements computation, when combined with complementing arrangements for establishing base requisitioning objectives and depot serviceable inventory goals, is already flexible enough to accommodate Lean Logistics. Even more than unnecessary, some of the proposed new level-setting methods are seriously deficient, particularly in the recognition of the muiti-echelon nature of the supply system - the distribution of stocks of spares at geographically separated operating locations as well as at a central supply point, usually an air logistics center. Replacing current methods with the new proposals would actually result in degraded performance and fail to realize the full potential of Lean Logistics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA320501
Entities
People
- T. J. O'malley
Organizations
- LMI