The Maintainers at the Heart of the Osprey Enterprise

11/28/2009
[caption id="attachment_2584" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="The V22 Maintenance Team"][/caption] Crafting the Osprey Enterprise: The Role of the Maintenance Team New Plane, New Capability, New Support Concept The Osprey is a new plane, a new capability, and provides a new contribution to the MAGTF and to the joint forces. It is not…

Meeting the Logistics and Sustainment Challenge: Towards a New Bargain Between Industry and Government

11/23/2009
Building a Stable and Effective Public-Private Partnership In a recent interview Sldinfo conducted with Lou Kratz, Vice President, Logistics and Sustainment, Lockheed Martin Corporation, the core significance of shaping an effective partnership between industry and the Department of Defense was underscored.  Indeed, Lou Kratz laid out an approach towards shaping a new…

European Air Transport Fleet: Fleet or Framework?

11/22/2009
By Dr. Hilmar Linnenkamp, Former Deputy Chief Executive, European Defense Agency   On November 17th 2009, the European Defence Agency’s Ministerial Steering Board noted a Letter of Intent (LOI) on the establishment of a European Air Transport Fleet (EATF). The LOI was signed by 14 Member States of the EDA. Among…

French Land Forces Support:Looking For the Best Business Models

11/15/2009
IN THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE This article follows one published in the September-October 2008 Issue of Military Logistics International and  entitled “In the Eye of the Hurricane: French Army Support on the Move” [See pages 29 to 34]. The latter described the broad range of reforms under way within the…

Is the MRAP Acquisition a Model for Acquisition, Rapid or Otherwise?

11/08/2009
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles were rapidly acquired based upon an undeniable urgent operational requirement.  In short, the rapid fielding of MRAPs was an absolute necessity.  The use of improvised explosive devices in Iraq and beyond had become a clear threat after several years in the Iraqi theater.  And,…

ECATS: Pioneering Outsourcing In French Pilot Training

10/26/2009
In June 2009, ECATS celebrated its 50,000 flying hours at Le Bourget and has been pioneering a new approach in outsourcing training services’ support, which is now being duplicated and expanded accross France. This report focuses on such a “success story” by attempting to provide an overlook of the lessons learned ever…

The New Chrysler Approach to Suppliers: The New DOD Acquisition Model?

10/26/2009
In a recent Wall Street Journal piece on the new Chrysler and its struggle to build new cars, the authors underscored a core challenge facing the new Chrysler management.  They have designs for new cars; they have assembly lines in mind for the new cars; they just don’t have the…

NATO HIP Helicopter Task Force Gets Momentum

10/25/2009
On October 23rd, 2009 during the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Bratislava,  nine NATO Allies signed a declaration of intent to contribute to the Czech-lead initiative to develop a multi-national transport helicopter programme for NATO (see: HIP helicopter initiative) and facilitate in-theater deployment of  these  much-needed air assets. The nine countries…