REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- A database created to track obsolete components is helping ensure readiness across the DOD.
Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages describes the loss of resources and materials needed to build, maintain and operate warfighting equipment. Up to 70 percent of electronics are obsolete prior to system fielding and one component may become obsolete 5-10 times during a weapon system's life cycle.
While this is a significant concern for the DOD, proactive DMSMS management has helped to reduce cost by identifying issues as early as possible.
The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center's Obsolescence Engineering team created a system called the Multifunctional Obsolescence Resolution Environment tool-database. MORE is a government-owned engineering analytical obsolescence and DMSMS management information system, maintained by AMRDEC.
Proactively identifying issues as soon as information becomes available increases the number of resolution options available and creates opportunities for an increased number of lower-cost alternatives. This allows for more time to address the problem before an impact occurs. If a program does not discover a DMSMS issue until there is a failed attempt to buy an item, resolution options often are limited, usually only more expensive alternatives are feasible and may impact readiness.
MORE centralizes work flow for researching the status of electronic parts; accessing availability data, analysis results and discontinuance alerts; and compiling and disseminating of information gleaned from subject matter experts.
In early 2016, the Naval Air Systems Command's DMSMS Management team sought a collaborative partnership with AMRDEC to explore DMSMS solutions within the naval realm.
As the number of programs supported by the NAVAIR DMSMS team grew, NAVAIR selected the established MORE technology to more efficiently manage and facilitate the search for equipment parts at a lower cost.
NAVAIR Obsolescence Management Team Technical Lead Chris Radford explained, "The MORE library, when combined with the AMRDEC team, provides a service and capability that no one else in the industry provides. It's a one-stop shop with a program designed around MORE that provides not only complete documented work instructions from part research to program management of DMSMS, but also a unique part auditing program that ensures that bad data and research are not added to the library, either willingly or unwillingly."
Michele Ozier, a team lead at AMRDEC and the AMRDEC lead for the NAVAIR collaboration, explained the mutual benefits of the combined efforts.
"We at AMRDEC are excited to collaborate with NAVAIR," Ozier said. "We believe that the resulting identification of commonality, standardization of processes, shared ideas and synergy will be a great benefit to both organizations, and most importantly, to our customers--the Warfighters."
This AMRDEC/NAVAIR collaboration represents one of eight strategic objectives being pursued to expand collaboration across the DOD enterprise. The goal of this strategic objective is to demonstrate the value of a proactive DMSMS program leveraging information sharing.
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The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to provide innovative research, development and engineering to produce capabilities for decisive overmatch to the Army against the complexities of the current and future operating environments in support of the Joint Warfighter and the Nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
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