TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -Employees here continue to look for ways to improve and sustain the AN/MPN-14K Landing Control Center overhaul process.

Employees in the Ground Control Approach (GCA)/Sensors Branch overhaul the system, which is a radar unit used by Air Force Air National Guard air traffic controllers. Personnel in the branch, which is part of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Directorate's Air Traffic Control Division, also work on the AN/PSS-12 and 14 mine detectors, the Battlefield Anti-intrusion and the AN/TSW-7A air traffic tower.

The radar system performs various tasks to aid landing aircraft, including providing final approach information and guidance of aircrafts through defense zones.

The system, which is composed of the radar (the antennas) and an operations van (where controllers are stationed), coordinates aircraft information with local airports and bases. It is considered a mobile radar, or "instant airport," meaning it is designed so users can set it up anywhere in the world.

Mission efforts for the system began here in 1996 when four depot personnel underwent six weeks of training in order to familiarize themselves with the AN/MPN-14K radar system.

Training continued until the workload transitioned to the depot in 1999. Douglas French accompanied the transition of the workload to the depot and has worked on the radar system here since then. French is an electronic integrated systems mechanic in the branch.

French began work on the radar systems when they were first designed in 1988. At that time, 25 systems were fielded. There are now 11 systems in the field. He estimates that he has been part of about 200 temporary duty trips, traveling to military bases and repairing the radars.

Technicians in the GCA/Sensors Branch began working on the system's line replaceable units and subassemblies in 2001. An LRU is a component that can be replaced quickly and restores a system to service, and subassemblies include transmitters, receivers and power supplies.

At that time the LRUs repaired here were sent to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. and swapped for other equipment in need of repair. This practice continued until about 2003, when the first two entire systems arrived at the depot. They were completely overhauled and fielded in 2005.

Since then, the depot has overhauled three more, totaling five systems. Personnel in the branch decided to incorporate Lean events into the overhaul process of the last two systems.

"Branch and program office personnel decided we needed to make some changes to the process," says John Ross, branch chief. "We began looking at ways we could improve our overhaul process because the system will be in the Air Force's inventory until a new one is developed to replace it."

Branch technicians must be able to sustain these systems until about 2017. Personnel in the branch began their first Lean event in June 2007. They performed a Value Stream Analysis, streamlining their overhaul process and reducing non-value added steps and cost within the branch, to ensure future workload.

They also incorporated another Value Stream Analysis Lean event into their overhaul process in March. The team focused on customer relations, understanding the overhaul effort and plans for upgrading the system. During this time they also planned for future Rapid Improvement Events that would concentrate on the cabinet repair and LRU overhaul processes.

The cabinet repair process Rapid Improvement Event took place in May and focused on tasks such as creating a depot-level repair technical order. The LRU overhaul process Rapid Improvement Event took place in July; during that time, team members identified and standardized the overhaul process for the LRUs.

Air Force personnel from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. And the Air National Guard were present for the second Value Stream Analysis and cabinet repair process Rapid Improvement Event.

"We decided to invite the customer to the Lean events because one of the reasons we participate in the events is to look at processes and decide what is best for the customer," Ross says.

The out briefs for the Lean events were video teleconferenced to personnel at Tinker. Branch personnel also incorporated bi-weekly teleconferences with Air Force personnel which allow those involved to discuss current and future initiatives that will aid in planning for future sustainment.

The branch has consolidated redundant operations, leading to shorter overhaul time and cost savings for the customer, because of the Lean events, says French. He believes that by allowing the customer to participate in the Lean events, they have a better understanding of the work that is done at the depot. "They (the customer) were also instrumental in helping us cut costs and repair cycle time by eliminating non-value added actions or processes," he added.

The branch is incorporating outcomes from the previous four Lean events while overhauling the sixth system, which arrived here the beginning of October. "We will use that system as a test pilot to begin some of the major repairs and electronic insertion upgrades in order to sustain these systems for 15 years," Ross stated.

Future plans for the AN/MPN-14K workload include a depot-level mobile depot maintenance program for all systems currently fielded, in addition to the annual overhaul process here. MDM is a preventative maintenance mission that makes field-level repairs to the ground communications and electronics fixed shelters at Air Force Major Command and Air National Guard sites.

Also, Air Force personnel have requested a standard work document that pertains to the branch's overhaul process. The document, or "key point sheet," will include photos of the process and step-by-step instructions of the disassembly and assembly of the system, provided by personnel in the Productivity, Improvement and Innovation Directorate. A technical writer from the Air Force will use that information to create a depot-level technical order, which will be used for all future systems, says Ross.

"We want to ensure that our warfighters have the most up-to-date equipment and support that need to continue to perform their mission," he added and focused on tasks such as creating a depot-level repair technical order. The LRU overhaul process Rapid Improvement Event took place in July; during that time, team members identified and standardized the overhaul process for the LRUs.

Air Force personnel from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. and the Air National Guard were present for the second Value Stream Analysis and cabinet repair process Rapid Improvement Event.

"We decided to invite the customer to the Lean events because one of the reasons we participate in the events is to look at processes and decide what is best for the customer," Ross says.

The out briefs for the Lean events were video teleconferenced to personnel at Tinker. Branch personnel also incorporated bi-weekly teleconferences with Air Force personnel which allow those involved to discuss current and future initiatives that will aid in planning for future sustainment.

The branch has consolidated redundant operations, leading to shorter overhaul time and cost savings for the customer, because of the Lean events, says French. He believes that by allowing the customer to participate in the Lean events, they have a better understanding of the work that is done at the depot.

"They (the customer) were also instrumental in helping us cut costs and repair cycle time by eliminating non-value added actions or processes," he added.

The branch is incorporating outcomes from the previous four Lean events while overhauling the sixth system, which arrived here the beginning of October.

"We will use that system as a test pilot to begin some of the major repairs and electronic insertion upgrades in order to sustain these systems," Ross stated.

Future plans for the AN/MPN-14K workload include a depot-level mobile depot maintenance program for all systems currently fielded, in addition to the annual overhaul process here.

MDM is a preventative maintenance mission that makes field-level repairs to the ground communications and electronics fixed shelters at Air Force Major Command and Air National Guard sites.

Also, Air Force personnel have requested a standard work document that pertains to the branch's overhaul process. The document, or "key point sheet," will include photos of the process and step-by-step instructions of the disassembly and assembly of the system, provided by personnel in the Productivity, Improvement and Innovation Directorate. A technical writer from the Air Force will use that information to create a depot-level technical order, which will be used for all future systems, says Ross.

"We want to ensure that our warfighters have the most up-to-date equipment and support that need to continue to perform their mission," he added.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is the largest full-service Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) maintenance and logistics support facility in the Department of Defense. Employees repair, overhaul and fabricate electronics systems and components, from tactical field radios to the ground terminals for the defense satellite communications network.

Tobyhanna's missions support all branches of the Armed Forces. The depot is the Army Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Communications-Electronics, Avionics, and Missile Guidance and Control Systems and the Air Force Technology Repair Center for ground communications and electronics.

About 5,700 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army CECOM Life Cycle Management Command. Headquartered at Fort Monmouth, N.J., the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control, computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.