Tech Revolution: Innovative Methods for Equipment Updates and Supply Chain Management
Revamped Tale: Life Cycle Integration and the Modern Battlefield
Frontline fighters chomp at the bit, sprinting toward the battlefield armed with technology that packs a punch. But just as crucial as the gear these warriors carry is the support system that keeps their equipment humming - no piece more essential than life cycle integration.
Josh Erlien, director of life cycle integration for Tactical Aircraft Electronic Warfare at BAE Systems, dives headfirst into the mission to provide battle-hardened support for the U.S. Air Force, delivering more than just spare parts and repairs.
"Life cycle integration isn't just about filling shelves," Erlien explains. "It's about ensuring technological superiority for our warfighters, and we're doing that by embedding myself and others like me into product lines and programs at all stages."
Embedded experts within the life cycle integration systems champion for readiness as they develop, produce, and maintain the planes' electronic warfare capabilities.
"The idea is to be focused on ease of upgrade and ease of maintainability," says Erlien. "We want to get these aircraft back into the fight as fast as possible."
Traditional issues with logistics and product support can cause significant frustrations, such as grounded aircraft due to the lack of spare parts. Life cycle integration focuses on these challenges before they become major problems by integrating support during the design phase and constructing packages that can thrive in contested environments.
"Support should be a forethought, not an afterthought," added Erlien.
Life cycle integration dives into the root causes of logistical and support challenges. Factors like material strategy, contract structure, and end-to-end supply chain velocity are all elements the team investigates to strengthen the Air Force's overall readiness.
"We need to understand the warfighting environment, too," says Erlien. "This knowledge helps inform our designs."
Erlien brings a wealth of battle-tested knowledge to the table, having previously served as a Deceptive Electronics Countermeasures (DECM) technician in the Marine Corps and chief of product support for the Spectrum Warfare Department at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana.
To avoid supportability challenges, Erlien explained that BAE Systems focuses on the fundamentals of product support, such as quality technical documentation, a shared emphasis on readiness, and an intimate understanding of customer constraints while striving to be innovative.
Value and affordability play significant roles in development, and BAE Systems attempts to minimize development time by employing a leverage strategy that maximizes modularity and economies of scale.
"We're not just designing for a single mission system," Erlien said. "We're striving to adapt our products to fit other customers' missions."
Resilience is another critical factor in system design. BAE Systems aims to build resilience into their weapons systems, enabling the systems to adapt, repair, and reconfigure in the field.
"Quick adaptability to new threats is key," Erlien stated. "Our systems must be able to be upgraded and adapted as needed to keep pace with an ever-changing battlefield."
Upgrades to software field implementation enable rapid adaptation to shifting threats. Software controls the functionality of these systems, making on-the-fly adjustments crucial in a dynamic environment.
"The ability to upgrade software in the field is vital," Erlien said. "We want our customers to have easy access to necessary updates when they need them most."
The Air Force modernizes existing aircraft systems and serves as the foundation for future battlefield solutions. Life cycle integration ensures these systems remain effective and adaptable throughout their lifespan, making them a cornerstone of success for the modern battlefield.
Electronic Warfare Insight: In the realm of electronic warfare, life cycle integration is all about ensuring cohesive and effective management of electronics through all stages of their life – design, development, deployment, maintenance, and disposal. This integration maintains an edge against emerging threats by providing flexible, interoperable, and adaptable systems that are customized for the unique environments of the battlefield. BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are prime examples of corporations that prioritize life cycle integration to deliver high-quality, flexible electronic warfare solutions for military forces worldwide.
- Embedded experts within the life cycle integration systems at BAE Systems advocate for readiness as they develop, produce, and maintain the planes' electronic warfare capabilities, focusing on ease of upgrade and ease of maintainability to get these aircraft back into the fight as fast as possible.
- life cycle integration dives into the root causes of logistical and support challenges, investigating factors like material strategy, contract structure, and end-to-end supply chain velocity to strengthen the Air Force's overall readiness and avoid challenges such as grounded aircraft due to the lack of spare parts.
- Value and affordability play significant roles in development for companies like BAE Systems, who attempt to minimize development time by employing a leverage strategy that maximizes modularity and economies of scale, aiming to design for a single mission system while also adapting their products to fit other customers' missions.
- Resilience is another critical factor in system design. BAE Systems aims to build resilience into their weapons systems, enabling the systems to adapt, repair, and reconfigure in the field, with quick adaptability to new threats being key for their systems to remain effective and up-to-date on the ever-changing battlefield. Software upgrades for field implementation also allow for rapid adaptation to shifting threats, ensuring easy access to necessary updates for the Air Force and other clients when they need them most.
