This harsh 'over leveraged reality' is reflected in the US defense industrial base consolidation in the contractor & gov't sectors.
The reality of the simultaneous transition from four level to two level maintenance was the systematic deskilling of US military maintainers...
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The reality of the simultaneous transition from four level to two level maintenance was the systematic deskilling of US military maintainers...
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https://twitter.com/ChristianHeiens/status/1909672109368131842
...and logisticians required to operate a global supply chain of military equipment.
This shift was a geographic and technological artifact of the Post-Cold War world where DHL/FedEx/UPS operated wide body cargo jets...
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This shift was a geographic and technological artifact of the Post-Cold War world where DHL/FedEx/UPS operated wide body cargo jets...
2/
...from the USA & Europe allowing same-day and next day shipping with electronic inventory systems tracking weapons systems modules.
As long as there were enough modules/sub-systems for "plug & play" to cover usage, 2-level maintenance works.
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As long as there were enough modules/sub-systems for "plug & play" to cover usage, 2-level maintenance works.
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This kinda-sorta pretend worked in the 2010's, then reality caught up.
The DoD signed long term fixed contracts with defense contractors to support 2-level maintenance at expected levels of usage.
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The DoD signed long term fixed contracts with defense contractors to support 2-level maintenance at expected levels of usage.
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Two level maintenance was the Defense Department contracting out of most military maintenance work to civilian contractors like Silicon Valley tech bros did with India.
The F-35 fighter jet is a two level maintenance weapons system like the Littoral Combat Ship.
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The F-35 fighter jet is a two level maintenance weapons system like the Littoral Combat Ship.
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The killer issues that make two level maintenance non-viable in reality are forecast maintenance usage models and Congress.
The maintenance usage models Defense contractors use are never right, usually very low,
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The maintenance usage models Defense contractors use are never right, usually very low,
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...and Congress never funds long term contracts which makes any contractor forecast utter rubbish.
The longer the amount of time from when the contract was signed, the worse it gets.
This leaves the DoD without enough modules to operate equipment...
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The longer the amount of time from when the contract was signed, the worse it gets.
This leaves the DoD without enough modules to operate equipment...
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...and without skilled maintainers who can scrounge together weapons systems from scrap like the USMC did with OV-10 Bronco aircraft in the Vietnam demobilization era.
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The Post-Cold War dysfunction of Western military procurement scares the heck out of me.
The primary issue with Western military acquisition is having far too many decision processes involved with fielding equipment in the age of 3D/AM drones.
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The primary issue with Western military acquisition is having far too many decision processes involved with fielding equipment in the age of 3D/AM drones.
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At its most speedy, it takes 11 months for the US Army to get to the RFP/IEP procurement stage.
Ukraine is fielding drones with improved E.W. updates at about a two week cycle rate since mid-2023.
Military defeat lives in that time difference.
10/10
Ukraine is fielding drones with improved E.W. updates at about a two week cycle rate since mid-2023.
Military defeat lives in that time difference.
10/10
@threadreaderapp unroll please
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