MANAGING OBSOLESCENCE


better synchronized with the supply chain for critical parts.


While this is fine in principle, in practice it proves easier said than done. Changes in priorities, funding profiles, etc., regularly destroy plans for refreshes and often create unplanned life extensions of systems, so it is important to build quantitative support in the form of life-cycle cost and inventory management models that are agile enough to be updated as situations change.


Q. With all of the different products to be acquired for its tactical network, what does the Army need to do to mitigate


A COMPLEX EQUATION


GEN Robert W. Cone, Commanding General, Training and Doctrine Command, learns how Advanced Individual Training Soldiers use software to perform engine troubleshooting during a visit June 2 to the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command. (U.S. Army photo by Heather Van, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Lee, Visual Information.)


obsolescence? What kind of coordina- tion and prioritizing are required for a multilayered, multifaceted acquisition such as this?


A. Three key things have to happen to perform state-of-the-practice obsoles- cence management:


• Stay on top of things. Institute a pro- cess that allows real-time visibility of the “procurement health” of your sys- tems. A simple metric that measures the fraction of your system(s) that you understand and are effectively manag- ing from a supply chain point of view


is a good tool to keep things on track. Problems occur when organizations lose an understanding of their parts; then, when they suddenly need more of the parts, panic takes over. We advise constructing a simple ratio of parts that are well understood, non-problems, or problems with solutions, to all parts that could be problems.


• Plan the life cycle. Think strategi- cally. A few judiciously placed design refreshes can make the day-to-day reactive management of obsolescence problems much easier and more effec- tive. But, to sell the refreshes means you


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Army AL&T Magazine


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