Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems

Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 101
Release: 2020-08-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309678129

Modern software engineering practices, pioneered by the commercial software community, have begun transforming Department of Defense (DoD) software development, integration processes, and deployment cycles. DoD must further adopt and adapt these practices across the full defense software life cycle - and this adoption has implications for software maintenance and software sustainment across the U.S. defense community. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems evaluates the current state of software sustainment within the U.S. Air Force and recommends changes to the software sustainment enterprise. This report assesses how software that is embedded within weapon platforms is currently sustained within the U.S. Air Force; identifies the unique requirements of software sustainment; develops and recommends a software sustainment work breakdown structure; and identifies the necessary personnel skill sets and core competencies for software sustainment.

Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Aircraft Sustainment Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs

Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Aircraft Sustainment Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 254
Release: 2011-11-17
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 030921520X

The ability of the United States Air Force (USAF) to keep its aircraft operating at an acceptable operational tempo, in wartime and in peacetime, has been important to the Air Force since its inception. This is a much larger issue for the Air Force today, having effectively been at war for 20 years, with its aircraft becoming increasingly more expensive to operate and maintain and with military budgets certain to further decrease. The enormously complex Air Force weapon system sustainment enterprise is currently constrained on many sides by laws, policies, regulations and procedures, relationships, and organizational issues emanating from Congress, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Air Force itself. Against the back-drop of these stark realities, the Air Force requested the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies, under the auspices of the Air Force Studies Board to conduct and in-depth assessment of current and future Air Force weapon system sustainment initiatives and recommended future courses of action for consideration by the Air Force. Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Aircraft Sustainment Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs addresses the following topics: Assess current sustainment investments, infrastructure, and processes for adequacy in sustaining aging legacy systems and their support equipment. Determine if any modifications in policy are required and, if so, identify them and make recommendations for changes in Air Force regulations, policies, and strategies to accomplish the sustainment goals of the Air Force. Determine if any modifications in technology efforts are required and, if so, identify them and make recommendations regarding the technology efforts that should be pursued because they could make positive impacts on the sustainment of the current and future systems and equipment of the Air Force. Determine if the Air Logistics Centers have the necessary resources (funding, manpower, skill sets, and technologies) and are equipped and organized to sustain legacy systems and equipment and the Air Force of tomorrow. Identify and make recommendations regarding incorporating sustainability into future aircraft designs.

Weapons System Sustainment Planning Early in the Development Life Cycle

Weapons System Sustainment Planning Early in the Development Life Cycle
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 99
Release: 2020-06-16
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 030967588X

According to the Government Accountability Office, sustainment of weapon systems accounts for approximately 70 percent of the total life-cycle costs. When sustainment is not considered early in the development process or as an integral part of the systems engineering design, it can negatively affect the ability of the Air Force to maintain and improve the weapon system once it enters service. At the request of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Weapons Systems Sustainment Planning Early in the Development Life Cycle identifies at what point or phase of the development of a weapons system sustainment planning should be integrated into the program; examines and provides recommendations regarding how sustainment planning should be evaluated throughout the development process; investigates and describes the current challenges with sustainment planning and determines what changes have occurred throughout the acquisition process that may have eroded sustainment planning; and identifies opportunities for acquisitions offices to gain greater access to sustainment expertise.

Weapon Systems Handbook

Weapon Systems Handbook
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 440
Release: 2020-05-03
Genre:
ISBN:

July 2019 Printed in BLACK AND WHITE The Army's Weapon Systems Handbook was updated in July 2019, but is still titled "Weapon Systems Handbook 2018." We are printing this in black and white to keep the price low. It presents many of the acquisition programs currently fielded or in development. The U.S. Army Acquisition Corps, with its 36,000 professionals, bears a unique responsibility for the oversight and systems management of the Army's acquisition lifecycle. With responsibility for hundreds of acquisition programs, civilian and military professionals collectively oversee research, development and acquisition activities totaling more than $20 billion in Fiscal Year 2016 alone. Why buy a book you can download for free? We print this so you don't have to. We at 4th Watch Publishing are former government employees, so we know how government employees actually use the standards. When a new standard is released, somebody has to print it, punch holes and put it in a 3-ring binder. While this is not a big deal for a 5 or 10-page document, many DoD documents are over 400 pages and printing a large document is a time- consuming effort. So, a person that's paid $25 an hour is spending hours simply printing out the tools needed to do the job. That's time that could be better spent doing mission. We publish these documents so you can focus on what you are there for. It's much more cost-effective to just order the latest version from Amazon.com. SDVOSB If there is a standard you would like published, let us know. Our web site is usgovpub.com

Signal

Signal
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 678
Release: 2008
Genre: Armed Forces
ISBN:

Night Hunters

Night Hunters
Author: William Pace Head
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
Total Pages: 403
Release: 2014-03-18
Genre: History
ISBN: 1623491509

In Night Hunters, air power historian William P. Head provides the first detailed study of the development and deployment of the AC-130 gunship. While other airframes and other types of close air support (CAS) and interdiction weapon systems preceded or flew with the AC-130s, this four-engine cargo airframe proved to be not only the longest serving fixed-wing gunship but also the most effective by far. During the Vietnam War, the US military developed new tactics and weapons systems to counter a diversity of enemy tactics and geographic features, the difficult climate, and the shifting diplomatic context. One of the most important was the development of the AC-130. Its ability to transport heavier payloads at higher altitudes across longer distances made it the logical choice to be the final Vietnam-era fixed-wing gunship and the only one that continues to fly missions in the twenty-first century. In addition, it employed many of the most advanced weapons, sensors, targeting devices, and fire control systems of the 1970s or of any era. By recounting both the technical development and the combat operations of the plane, and by looking at the proposed alternatives for its use in the War on Terror, Night Hunters offers a clear view of the role of gunships and of close air support in US wars. In today’s never-ending brushfire wars, the AC-130s continue to uphold their reputation for excellence.

Propeller

Propeller
Author: Tanner Corbridge
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2019-06-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0525541276

The newest addition to Partners In Leadership's accountability series that began with the classic The Oz Principle. The Oz Principle has sold more than a million copies since it debuted in 1994, establishing it as the go-to reference on workplace accountability throughout the world. By embracing its practical and invaluable advice, tens of thousands of companies have improved their organizational accountability -- the key to achieving and sustaining exceptional results. Now, the team at Partners In Leadership is applying thirty years of proven success to a whole new concept: Propeller. This book presents a modern take on accountability, while remaining faithful to the elegantly simple premise: When people take personal ownership of their organization's priorities and accept responsibility for their own performance, they become more engaged and perform at a higher level. With all new examples and stories, Propeller builds on the The Oz Principle's legacy to inspire the next generation of readers to tap the incredible power of personal, team, and organizational accountability.

Contractor Logistics Support in the U.S. Air Force

Contractor Logistics Support in the U.S. Air Force
Author: Michael Boito
Publisher: RAND Corporation
Total Pages: 162
Release: 2009
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780833045768

The Air Force has several options for sustaining weapon systems and components but has, in recent years, increasingly chosen contractor logistics support (CLS) over organic support. Still, questions remain about costs and efficiency, even about whether CLS is the best option. The authors explored these by reviewing the relevant government and DoD documents and data and by speaking with various knowledgeable individuals. The authors noted that CLS contracts have often gone to original equipment manufacturers because, lacking the technical data, the Air Force could not choose a third party. They also noted that contracts that guarantee large annual sums limit the Air Force's ability to adjust when its own funding changes and that the reasons underpinning these decisions are not always complete or consistent across the service. Centralizing and standardizing data and the related management skills would help make them available across the Air Force. More important, to retain all its choices for logistics services throughout a system's life cycle, the Air Force should acquire the technical data or data rights near the start of the acquisition process.