Quality, Safety, and Mission Assurance
Abstract
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Quality, Safety, and Mission Assurance (QSMA) group provides to the Agency the expertise necessary to ensure the success of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The Agency Director has emphasized the significant role of quality and safety in mission success and the importance of protecting people from catastrophic accidents and failures. Over the past few years, using the Ground based Midcourse Defense (GMD) launch aborts as an example, the QSMA team has made dramatic improvements that impact the BMDS, present and future. A combination of enforcing the MDA assurance provisions on all mission critical suppliers, and establishing an audit program revealed significant shortfalls that prompted the Director to action. The audit findings, direct unbiased weekly reports, and GBI failures formed the rational for establishing the Mission Readiness Task Force (MRTF). QSMA has made several quality overhauls through rigorous audits. In the past two years, the audit process has become more rigorous resulting in more relevant audit findings and subsequent corrective actions. Audit results are tracked for several months culminating in process improvements, enhancing statistical controls, cultural changes, and best practices. The QSMA culture espouses near and long term priorities and solutions for MDA. Since QSMA was established in 2002, proactive efforts have turned ideas into BMDS solutions. Currently, two quality and safety initiatives are contractual requirements for all programs. These initiatives, MDA Assurance Provisions, (MAP), Government MDA Assurance Provisions, (GMAP), and the Parts, Materials, and Process Mission Assurance Plan (PMAP) standardize the way MDA does business relative to quality, safety, and mission assurance. Currently, 7 programs have placed the MAP on contract. Also, Raytheon uses the MAP as a corporate standard, not only for MDA but all their defense programs. QSMA facilitated a unique government and industry partnership which salvaged the Eagle Picher Company, a critical sole source battery supplier for 5 major MDA programs. Timely intervention with disciplined quality and safety guidance was key to restoring Eagle Picher as a stable supplier. Moreover, test failures have decreased, on-time deliveries have increased, and the supplier quality measurement rating increased greatly this year. Eagle Picher`s successful turnaround prompted another government industry partnership to address the Pacific Scientific company in a similar situation. It also has embraced stakeholder involvement and is committed to resolving major issues. All indications show that Pacific Scientific is on the path to success.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- YX32_0603890C_4_0400_PB_2011
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