FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Defense Logistics Agency’s director of logistics operations and leaders from the U.S. Transportation Command and F-35 Joint Program Office toured warehousing sites in Texas and California supporting the joint strike fighter Feb. 28-March 1.
Leaders visiting Lockheed Martin’s F-35 warehouses in Fort Worth, Texas, and warehouses at DLA Distribution San Joaquin, California, included Navy Rear Adm. Doug Noble, the agency’s commander of joint regional combat support; Navy Rear Adm. Phillip Sobeck, TRANSCOM director of strategy, policy, programs and logistics; and Calvin Hall, JPO deputy product support manager. The tours highlighted the opportunities and challenges associated with transitioning North American regional warehousing for aircraft parts from Lockheed Martin to DLA and global transportation and distribution for the parts from industry to DLA and TRANSCOM.
“As we continue to implement DLA and USTRANSCOM’s product support provider roles and transition from commercial industry, it’s important to understand the operational impacts and assess performance,” Noble said. “DLA, USTRANSCOM and the JPO are aligned on meeting F-35 operational delivery timelines while ensuring proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”
DLA was designated as the Product Support Provider for North American regional warehousing in 2019. The agency and TRANSCOM were also designated as the PSP for global transportation and distribution the same year. The designation initiated the transfer of roles from Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney to government support. The program is transitioning support for non-propulsion parts to DLA Distribution San Joaquin, California. Engine parts have fully transitioned to DLA Distribution Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.