Integrated Logistics Support
Consistent solutions for highest availability
Rheinmetall’s ILS program objective ensures the optimum implementation and sustainment of supportability and operational availability for the delivered vehicle system program and defines cost effective logistic support solutions to reduce total cost of ownership. The ILS program covers the complete product life cycle, stating at need analysis pursuing concept, development, production, and in-service phases until decommission of the systems.
Within each phase of the product life-cycle, Rheinmetall uses ILS methods for continuously identifying and mitigating or eliminating any support or supportability related risks that could adversely affect the system’s availability or life-cycle cost.
For need analysis, concept, development, and production, military programs account for stated frame conditions, also initially defined applicable for operational use during service life. After fielding into a real environment, however, the User actually operates the system under changing frame conditions.
Therefore, the overall ILS program follows the program-orientated subdivision into two contractually separated, but interrelated and interdependent partial ILS programs:
Integrated Logistics Support in Acquisition programs
Military acquisition programs aim at closing an actual or potential capability gap. Doing so it is not sufficient to provide this capability initially by means of a suitable product (mission system). It is even more important to sustain the capability throughout the complete service life of the system.
Rheinmetall’s ILS program in acquisition programs represents a risk management approach that ensures achievement of system maturity by aiming at the following main objectives:
- Influence system design to ensure that reliability, maintainability, and testability are appropriate to meet the operational availability requirements of fielded systems.
- Identify and eliminate cost drivers.
- Develop cost effective and efficient support solutions.
- Identify the required resources, products, tools, and procedures for supporting the system.
- Develop an integrated support system including its support products, tools, procedures, and data.
- Ensure a through life support capability in order to sustain supportability throughout the service life, even under changing frame conditions.
For this purpose, Rheinmetall’s ILS program in acquisition programs comprises all necessary elements and disciplines for the implementation of system supportability characteristics as well as for developing effective and efficient support solutions within the process of reaching system maturity.
Logistic Support Analysis
On the one hand, Rheinmetall’s Logistic Support Analysis (LSA) program serves to determine a consistent maintenance plan as well as to identify the system’s requirements for maintenance procedures, support equipment and resources in order to maintain the system in accordance with the maintenance plan.
On the other hand, Rheinmetall’s LSA program comprises a RAMT (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability & Testability) program, which serves to influence the system design regarding its supportability related design characteristics (reliability, maintainability, testability) in order to optimize the maintenance plan and the system’s achieved availability.
Rheinmetall has established and maintained its LSA program in accordance with MIL-STD-1388-1A. In several process steps, Rheinmetall assesses and analyses engineering source data within the context of defined frame conditions for system operation and support.
As a centralized supportability orientated information source, Rheinmetall has established and maintained a logistic support analysis record (LSAR) following the guidance provided by MIL-STD 1388-2B. This consistent database forms the baseline for the development of maintenance procedures and a structured maintenance plan. In addition, Rheinmetall makes use of this database to provide a central data for the development of ILS products that ensure consistency across all areas of the support system.
Life-Cycle Cost Management
Rheinmetall conducts life-cycle cost analyses for monitoring and controlling the ILS program as well as for supporting decision-making processes.
In doing so, Rheinmetall makes use of product specific data, logistic support analysis results as well as information from other project areas and data provided by suppliers. In addition, Rheinmetall takes into consideration Customer specific data such as the utilization profile and maintenance support organization.
Based upon these data, Rheinmetall develops project specific calculation models that enable case-related analyses for establishing and reviewing estimated life-cycle cost.
Technical Publications
Rheinmetall’s Technical Publications (TechPubs) program ensures development and delivery of technical manuals, spare parts manuals, and material management data, which contain all information required to enable the User to safely operate and maintain as well as to smoothly supply the systems.
The scope, structure, and level of detail of maintenance procedures described within the maintenance manuals as well as the scope of supply support items described within the spare parts manual are in line with the maintenance plan developed within the LSA process. Scope and level of detail for operating procedures are in line with technical data and consider the requirements identified within the LSA and the training program.
Rheinmetall’s TechPubs program bases on Interactive Electronic Technical Publications (IETP). Rheinmetall develops operating, maintenance, and spare parts manuals as IETP in accordance with ASD S1000D. Rheinmetall creates material management data in accordance with ASD S2000M. Rheinmetall’s subprogram for material management data also includes cataloguing of supply support items as well as the creation of preservation and packaging instructions for storage and transportation.
For administration and storage of data modules for technical manuals and spare parts manuals as well as for administration and storage of material management data Rheinmetall uses a common source database (CSDB).
Support & Test Equipment
Rheinmetall’s Support & Test Equipment (S&TE) program serves for development, maintenance level orientated configuration, and delivery of S&TE sets, that comprise all special tools and test equipment to enable the User to conduct maintenance tasks which cannot or can only hardly be conducted using standard tools. Rheinmetall also takes into consideration adequate packaging for transport and storage of the S&TE in order to ensure operational readiness.
The scope of S&TE required for conducting scheduled maintenance, troubleshooting, fault location, repair and testing as well as the S&TE set configuration and packaging are in line with the maintenance plan developed within the LSA process.
Rheinmetall’s S&TE program ensures that Rheinmetall recommends for initial provisioning each special tool or test equipment identified within the LSA process. Rheinmetall ensures delivery of all S&TE within the scope contractually agreed upon for the project.
Initial Supply Support
Rheinmetall’s Initial Supply Support (ISS) program serves for recommendation and provisioning of spare parts required for filling up the User’s supply chain. This immediately makes available supply support items to maintain operational readiness of fielded systems already from beginning of the in-service phase.
Rheinmetall optimizes the scope and distribution of supply support items by means of a scale and ranging analysis. Therefor Rheinmetall develops a calculation model on the basis of failure rates derived from the LSA program, the User’s specified utilization profile, the deployment plan for the systems, the specified capabilities and locations of maintenance and storage facilities as well as on predicted OEM cost and purchase lead times for re-provisioning.
Rheinmetall uses OPUS 10 software for conducting scale and ranging analyses. The results show a cost-effectiveness diagram, which enables Rheinmetall to identify the best balance between desired operational availability and the related investment cost required.
Rheinmetall’s ISS program ensures specification and recommendation of all supply support items, which Rheinmetall identifies within the LSA process and that are required for initially filling up the supply chain. In addition, Rheinmetall ensures delivery of all supply support items within the scope contractually agreed upon for the project.
Training & Training Equipment
Rheinmetall’s Training & Training Equipment (T&TE) program serves for the development and conduct of initial cadre training courses for instructors within the User training organization. It also serves for the development and delivery of suitable training equipment and course material, which the User’s instructors may use for preparation and conduct of internal follow-on training courses for operator and maintenance technician. The range of training material and training equipment comprises instruction and training aids, display equipment and hand-on training equipment.
The scope and content of the initial cadre training for operator instructors, bases on technical design data and technological fundamentals. The scope and content of Initial cadre training for maintenance technician instructors, additionally bases on the maintenance plan developed within the LSA program.
Rheinmetall takes into consideration the instructors’ existing experience and capabilities when developing the initial cadre training. When developing training material and training equipment, however, Rheinmetall generally takes into consideration a low level of students’ experience and capabilities.
Integrated Logistics Support in Support programs
Military systems initially are developed and produced for use under stated frame conditions. However, the User actually operates the system under changing frame conditions. On the one hand, changes are the result of findings and experience gained from the handling of the system (direct influences) and on the other hand, of changes to the environment (external influences) in which the User operates the system.
To be able to react appropriately and in good time to these changes, the system requires continuous technical-logistical and post-design support. The service items aim at the identification, analysis, and evaluation of relevant circumstances and events and enable Rheinmetall, if required, to counteract identified problems with appropriate measures.
Rheinmetall’s ILS program in support programs represents a DRACAS (Data Recording, Analysis & Corrective Action System) that ensures sustainment of system maturity by aiming at the following main objectives:
- Ensure identification, analysis, and assessment of relevant circumstances and events while handling the system and within its environment.
- Counteracting identified problems with appropriate measures.
- Ensure that the system meets the required state of the art.
- Ensure that operating the system is economically and in accordance with statutory provisions.
- Ensure that the system is mature for service and supportable.
Product Observation & Supervision
Rheinmetall’s Product Observation & Supervision service items serve for collecting, assessing, and if necessary, further analyzing field data and other User’s feedback.
The service items aim at the identification of potential problem zones and design deficiencies and enable Rheinmetall to address upcoming risks and to propose suitable counteracting measures.
Rheinmetall’s service items include, but are not limited to the following:
- Collection of failure reports, evaluation of maintenance data, and preparation of failure analysis reports.
- Analysis of the maintenance plan and preparation of a failure and maintenance analysis.
- Preparation of statements to complaints and experiences with the system.
- Collection and assessment of modification data.
- Supporting of the decision-making process for further technical measures.
- Conduct of life-cycle cost management.
Modification Support
Rheinmetall’s Modification Support (or post-design support) service items serve for preparing modifications to products and software embedded therein.
The service items aim at the development of a solution for a product or software modification and enable Rheinmetall to create a decision-paper for the implementation of the proposed modification.
Rheinmetall’s service items include, but are not limited to the following:
- Conduct feasibility studies, taking into account reliability, maintainability, and testability aspects as well as requirements concerning the support system.
- Review of the results of the feasibility study for system compatibility.
- Preparation of design documentation (type installation).
- Preparation of modification related technical documentation (draft manuals) and a list of new, modified, or obsolete parts.
- Preparatory work for supporting the trial installation and the demonstration of specified performance.
- Preparation of a modification approval draft based upon the modification result (as modified Configuration).
- Preparation of draft technical order for providing implementing directives.
Adherence to Legal Provisions & Sustainment of Service Capability
Rheinmetall’s Adherence to Legal Provisions & Sustainment of Service Capability service items serve for conserving all necessary prerequisites for securing the continuation of the system’s approval for use and the capability to provide support services.
On the one hand, the service items aim at the examination of products and maintenance procedures for adherence to legal provisions, which enables Rheinmetall to propose alternative solutions, as required.
On the other hand, they aim at the updating of design documentation and preparation and maintenance of build standard surveys, which form prerequisites for sustaining system type certification. This also includes the use and maintenance of actual third party design documentation and technical publications as well as updating of project specific processual guidance documents. This information source enables Rheinmetall to control individual systems and products within a fleet management.
Rheinmetall’s service items include, but are not limited to the following:
- Detailed examination of products and procedures for adherence to legal provisions concerning occupational safety and health as well as concerning environmental protection.
- Detailed examination of the system for adherence to legal provisions concerning roadworthiness.
- Updating of design documentation for harmonization with the current as-design and as-build configuration that complies with the equipment.
- Preparation and maintenance of build standard surveys for the individual systems including all configuration controlled items.
- Administration of (third party) design documentation, technical publications, and controlled work copies thereof.
- Preparation and updating of cross-system procedural guidance documents and data interchange agreements.
- Updating of the support tree, which shows the respective design responsibility on system, subsystem, and equipment level.
Sustainment of Operational Viability of the System
Rheinmetall’s Sustainment of Operational Viability of the System service items serve for sustainment of the User’s capability to safely and smoothly operate and maintain the system.
On the one hand, the service items aim at the preliminary examination of new and improvement of existing maintenance procedures with special consideration to economic efficiency as well as time and material expenditure of the repair.
On the other hand, they aim at the maintenance of product-embedded software as well as updating of technical manuals and publishing of spare parts manuals, which the User requires for operating and maintaining the system. This also includes the updating of training manuals or digital training aids.
Rheinmetall’s service items include, but are not limited to the following:
- Updating of maintenance procedures.
- Software maintenance for product embedded software.
- Updating of digital training aids (CBT, CAI).
- Updating of technical manuals for operating and maintenance.
- Editing and publishing of spare parts manuals.
Sustainment of the Supportability of the System
Rheinmetall’s Sustainment of the Supportability service items serve for sustaining the User’s capability to order and replenish spare parts and to control material flows within maintenance cycles.
On the one hand, the service items aim at the maintenance and updating of material management data, which the User requires for executing and controlling the provisioning of supply support items.
On the other hand, they aim at the sustainment of Rheinmetall’s capability to identify, collect, and assess obsolescence issues. This enables Rheinmetall also to prepare, assess and execute proposed solutions on obsolescence issues in order to restore the supportability for the system.
Rheinmetall’s service items include, but are not limited to the following:
- Maintenance and updating of material management data.
- Preparation and Updating of the obsolescence management plan.
- Identification, collection, and assessment of obsolescence issues.
- Collection and assessment of information on obsolescence issues.
- Collection, assessment, and execution of proposed solutions on obsolescence issues.
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