The Reliability Challenge: Common Pitfalls, and Strategies for Maximizing Inherent Reliability Performance of Weapon Systems

Abstract

Demonstration of required reliability performance levels prior to system fielding has remained a challenge for the Army, and in recent years, the success rate of systems achieving their stated reliability performance in operational tests has declined, Realization of required reliability performance necessitates effective management strategies and techniques in order to reduce risks. Furthermore, managing reliability performance does not stop upon fielding and must be continually monitored and assessed for potential improvements and efficiencies in support of meeting Army readiness objectives, The objective of this research is to ascertain common management issues that many Program and Project Managers deal with concerning reliability, identify their root causes, and suggest potential methods for mitigating these risks, To gather these data, the researcher drew directly from experiences of programs within Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare & Sensors (PEO IEW&S), The program participating cover the full spectrum of Acquisition Category (ACAT) levels and cross all acquisition phases, Results show that the key to success resides in early identification of up front cost-effective opportunities for improving reliability performance, and mitigation of associated risks during design, manufacturing development, test, and post-production, Predictability in the field is the desired end state,

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA401747

Entities

People

  • Michael E. Ryan

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Engineers
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Identification Systems
  • Logistics
  • Management Personnel
  • Organizational Structure
  • Performance Tests
  • Reliability
  • Reliability Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
  • Systems Management
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Methods
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Software Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics