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Modernization Through Spares developed by the Army Materiel Command is a spares acquisition strategy applied throughout the material acquisition life cycle to reduce sustainment costs, which are constantly increasing partially due to DMSMS problems. MTS is based on technology insertion and the use of commercial products, processes, and practices to extend a system’s useful life. Today’s technology affects all of our lives. From our car’s electronic ignition system to digital TV and the Internet, we are experiencing a continuing technology evolution. Similarly, our operational weapon systems are affected by these ongoing changes. We will modernize our systems by inserting current technology through spares acquisition.
The Department of the Army has developed a Strategy for Modernization Through Spares. This strategy assists all Army managers who develop systems or buy spares (parts, components, subassemblies, or assemblies) for operational systems. It is based on leveraging sustainment funds to reduce operating and support (O&S) costs, and the use of an Integrated Process Team (IPT) to implement the strategy.
The technology revolution provides opportunities to enhance existing systems capabilities and to reduce support costs. The impact of this rapid technology change is usually first observed in the inability to procure electronic components due to their unavailability in the market place. Parts obsolescence is most frequently encountered during later years of weapon system production and out-of-production spares procurements. When the obsolete parts can no longer be obtained, replacement parts must be procured. Often it is necessary or preferable to redesign the assembly or subsystem to accept a replacement part. This can be accomplished by utilizing the MTS strategy.
For developmental systems, the IPT used Cost as an Independent Variable (CAIV) and open systems architectures to enable future performance-based spares acquisition. For operational systems, the IPT used performance-based requirements to insert commercial technologies during spares acquisition to capitalize on the cost benefits.
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