출처:http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007-britains-nao-reviews-rafs-new-maintenance-approach-03495/

2007: Britain's NAO Reviews RAF's New Maintenance Approach
영국공군은 BAE SYSTEMS과의 외주 계약등으로 장비의 유지, 관리비용을 줄이고 있다는 기사입니다....


DID has devoted considerable coverage over the past few years to Britain's defense procurement reforms, especially in the area of aircraft maintenance. Platforms that are now handled under a full "future contracting for availability" full-life maintenance framework (i.e. pays for available aircraft rather than paying for spares) include Britain's CH-47 helicopters, E-3D Sentry AWACS radar surveillance aircraft, and Tornado fighters. Platforms that are using contracting for availability but are not yet through-life contracts, or are progressing via availability contracts for sub-systems etc. as they work their way up, include the RAF's Hawk trainers, Harrier jets, VC10 aerial tankers, Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, and others. Even these partial implementations, however, have seen significant changes to maintenance arrangements and contract structures, as Britain works through the issues related to the change and implements its Defence Industrial Strategy.

Recent events include the signing of a Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) Foundation Contract with BAE Systems. It covers intended progress toward an eventual binding agreement that will provide effective through-life support to the RAF's entire fixed wing fleet for front line service. Which leads to the logical question – have the changes worked? Enter Britain's National Audit Office, with its July 17/07 report: "Transforming logistics support for fast jets." Press notice | Executive summary | Full Report [PDF, 2.1 MB]. Key metrics associated with the Tornado and Harrier support contracts include:

The Tornado and Harrier Integrated Project Teams’ costs have reduced from a total of £711 million in 2001-02 to £328 million in 2006-07, creating cumulative savings of £1.3 billion (Tornado) and £109 million (Harrier) over the period 2001-02 to 2006-07. GBP 1.4 billion = $2.87 billion at current conversion rates.
Reduced Service personnel involved in depth repair by around 360, with further cost and manpower reductions planned for both aircraft fleets.
Main cost of change is £140 million, associated with the super-hangar at St Athan and the subsequent closure of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency's fast jet business.
From 2000 to 2003, operational availability of the Tornado GR4 strike aircraft averaged 100% of target. There was a dip as low as 93% from 2003-2006, but the target was met from the end of December 2006.
The Tornado GR4 has reduced minor maintenance repair time by 37% compared with that previous DARA figures. Further improvements are expected.
Since entering into a partnered availability contract with Rolls-Royce, the Department has achieved 100% availability of the Tornado RB199 engine, and reduced rejection rates and hence the number of engines under depth repair.
The pulse line at RAF Cottesmore reduced the time taken to perform minor Harrier maintenance by 19% since 2002, and the commencement of the Joint Upgrade and Maintenance Programme at RAF Cottesmore achieved a 43% decrease in the time taken to upgrade Harrier GR7 aircraft to GR9 standard.
Operational availability of Harrier aircraft was below target before the change. It dropped further in April 2003 with the start of the Harrier upgrade program, but improved as work was transferred to the new depth repair hub at RAF Cottesmore. In the last half of 2006 aircraft availability has been at or close to 100% against a revised target, mainly because there were fewer aircraft under depth repair.
The new maintenance arrangements that reduced depth repair made an extra 11 aircraft available to the front lines. The Department has also met a significant surge requirement for repair associated with operations in Afghanistan.
Improved repair processes on the pulse line for the Harrier's Pegasus engine have reduced turn around times by 59%

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출처: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/uk-mod-issues-report-on-throughlife-equipment-management-02424/

영국군 전체적으로 "Through Life Capability Management"개념을 도입하여 장비의 획득, 유지, 관리에 혁신이 도입되고 있다는 내용입니다.
유지, 관리비를 줄이고 장비 구입비에는 돈을 아끼지 않으므로써 전체적인 국방력이 강해질것은 당연할 것 같습니다...
실제로 얼마전 발표된 새로운 중형항모 CVF에도 이러한 개념이 적용되었다고 합니다..
개인적으로 상당히 고가여서 궁금했었는데요...
최근의 MoD 리포트는 영국 국방부가 구조, 조직, 과정, 문화, 행위등 다각도로 분석하며 우수한 Through Life Capability Management를 위해서 얼마나 고민하고 있는지 보여주고 있습니다.....

UK MoD Issues Report on Through-Life Equipment Management

Over the last couple of years, DID has noted the UK's innovative "Future Contracting for Availability" life-cycle approach to equipment maintenance, and highlighted its use in a number of articles. That approach became a formal procurement policy in the draft Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) unveiled in December 2005 by the UK Ministry of Defence. The MoD has also focused since the mid-1990s on what it calls "Smart Acquisition" policies.

"Through Life Capability Management" focuses of the costs and capabilities of equipment throughout its life, not just purchase price, and is currently being trailed on major projects that include Britain's new CVF/Queen Elizabeth Class future aircraft carriers. Success would remove many common problems from traditional military procurement, but this will prove to be challenging for both government and industry. Issues of public-private partnerships, contract management, and capability-building arise for both sides….

A recent MoD report looks at what it would take to succeed in this area, assesses the present gaps, and makes some recommendations. Its core assessment of the defense procurement dynamic is especially noteworthy, however, as it describes a situation that will be universally familiar to military procurement officers and observers around the world:

"The report finds that MoD's acquisition system has a history of suffering from a conspiracy of optimism. Targets and incentives are poorly aligned. Behaviour is stove-piped and boundaries between organisations make the achievement of a through life approach more difficult. Necessary skills are in short supply and there is a need to concentrate more resources on training, to create greater unity of purpose in the acquisition arena, from the top of the Department to the bottom.

True everywhere. As for this particular report:

"This report was commissioned to advise whether changes should be made to the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) structures, organisation, process or culture and behaviours in order to facilitate good Through Life Capability Management. It focuses mainly on structure, organisation and processes. This is not to understate the paramount importance of skills, training, culture and behaviours… There has been improvement in the delivery of projects to time and to cost, as represented in the most recent Major Projects Reports, and this must be sustained. At the same time we must ensure that the new equipment capability being brought into service can be supported in a cost effective and affordable way."

The report largely delivers on its stated mandate, and does recommend some significant structural changes to Britain's DPA, DLO, and related groups. Ideas like a 10-year view of defense spending across the board, contingency funds built into budgets, "capability customers" being saddled with responsibility for maintenance costs, et. al. will be familiar to some but nonetheless represent worthy contributions. This report is surely not the final word, but it does make a contribution to the procurement reform debate in Britain – and around the world.


Read the Minister's introducing: "Enabling Acquisition Change: An Examination Of The Ministry Of Defence's Ability To Undertake Through Life Capability Management" – or download the study directly in PDF format, [5.94 MB/ 54 pages].