How are U.S. systems supported after the U.S. military retires them?

Unfortunately, the reality for many international partners is that DMSMS and obsolescence will continue to affect the support of their system purchases due to the fact that many of their U.S.-origin systems are either in the process of or already are phased out of the DoW inventory. A number of programs have been implemented to mitigate this issue by providing continued logistic support for international military sales long after the DoW no longer supports the items for itself. These programs include System Support Buyout, the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), the acquisition of property through DLA Disposition Services and the redistribution of international partner excess spares and equipment via the Worldwide Warehouse Redistribution Services (WWRS).

Obsolescence is the lack of availability of items needed to support or maintain a system due to new design or process changes. While very closely related, obsolescence is not exactly the same as diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS). DMSMS is the loss or impending loss of manufacturers of items, suppliers of items, or raw materials needed to support and maintain a system. In other words, it is the loss of support due to a lack of sources or materials.

Both obsolescence and DMSMS may cause situations that result in material shortages that endanger the life-cycle support and capability of a defense system. In that regard, the DoW and other IAs as well as the international partner, should proactively identify timely and effective actions to reduce or eliminate the impact of obsolescence and DMSMS on FMS acquisition and logistics support efforts. The four basic steps of a proactive DMSMS risk management process are as follows:

• Identification and notification
• Verification
• Options analysis
• Resolution and implementation

A detailed study of DMSMS and associated risk-management processes can be found in DoD SD-22, Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) Guidebook, May 2022.

The procurement agencies for U.S. military items have changed their acquisition strategy from acquiring stock for distribution on demand to a performance-based logistics (PBL) strategy. PBL is the purchase of support as an integrated, affordable, performance package designed to optimize system readiness and meet performance goals for a weapon system through long-term support arrangements with clear lines of authority and responsibility between the USG and a contractor. Simply put, performance-based strategies buy outcomes, not products or services.

For defined and blanket order cases, this new arrangement has simply meant that international partners indirectly get the benefits of the PBL relationships in the form of better availability of parts and shorter response times to requisitions. Because CLSSA agreements entitle international partners to the same priorities and treatment as U.S. forces, if a PBL strategy is in place for items that are also provided to international partners, those with CLSSAs would participate in and benefit directly from the PBL support.

The U.S. Air Force supports the FMS and SA/SC countries with what has become known as the technical coordination program (TCP) (formerly known as the Technical Coordination Group [TCG]). The TCPs, international engine management programs (IEMPs), and the electronic combat international SA program (ECISAP) provide dedicated follow-on technical and engineering support to international partners. International partners sign an FMS case to become members of the TCP. The TCPs provide a single point of contact for countries on all their technical concerns regarding their respective systems once the system is procured. ECISAP provides engineering software support and system hardware support. The TCPs, IEMPs, and ECISAP work exclusively for their international partners, and they are not responsible for providing any service to USAF units. The member countries fund the TCGs, IEMPs, and ECISAP, and 100 percent of the TCP’s time is dedicated to FMS support. The international partners pay for these services on a prorated basis.

The U.S. Army’s Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) provides follow-on technical and engineering support to international partners of the HAWK and CHAPARRAL missile systems. These programs, known as the HAWK and CHAPARRAL Fair Share Sustainment Programs (FSSP) respectively, provide hardware, software, and technical support to these two systems, which are obsolete to the U.S. Army but are actively managed by AMCOM to support international users. International partners can participate in either or both FSSP programs through a separate FMS case, or through a support line on a larger system sale. The international partners pay on a prorated basis to receive these services.

The U.S. Navy has established the F/A-18 in-service support (ISS) program to ensure that post-production logistics and engineering support will be available for international partners that own out-of-production F/A-18s. The ISS program enables international partners to address their problems with the U.S. Navy and the prime contractor, Boeing, on a day-to-day basis. The ISS program assists FMS countries in the continuing operation and maintenance of their weapon systems by sharing U.S. Navy and FMS logistics and engineering data at minimum cost to all concerned. Without a common ISS program, it would be necessary for each international partner to establish individual contracts to obtain those sustaining services. The ISS program joins all F/A-18 users into a single cohesive team. It contains common requirements, those that are applicable to both USN and international partners’ unique requirements, and those that specifically apply to one or more international partners.

The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) is a joint service storage, regeneration, reclamation, and disposal facility located at Davis-Monthan AFB. The AMARG maintains aircraft and aerospace vehicles from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, and several federal agencies including NASA. The AMARG provides critical aerospace maintenance and regeneration capabilities for joint, allied, and coalition warfighters in support of global operations for a wide range of military operations. The operation is unique in that authorized international partners from all over the world may withdraw parts and aircraft. The group provides international partner services including aircraft regeneration (restoring aircraft to flying status), limited depot-level maintenance, and parts reclamation, in addition to its historic storage and disposal functions.

The AMARG maintains aircraft in long-term and short-term storage. Long-term storage aircraft may be contingency weapon systems, weapon systems designated for potential FMS, and weapon systems designated for reclamation. This aerospace fleet provides a unique savings account from which military units throughout the world (including international partners) may withdraw parts and aircraft. The inventory consists of a wide range of reciprocating, turboprop, and jet-engine powered fixed and rotary wing aircraft. International partners may withdraw entire aircraft from storage, or just those spare parts which are otherwise hard to obtain.