Uncharted territory is where Air Force Col. Matt York finds himself and the Defense Logistics Agency team that orchestrates material support for U.S. military nuclear and space programs.
“Strategic deterrence is critical in an uncertain security environment. That makes nuclear modernization so important, and it’s also part of why DLA’s transformation with the military services is a no-fail mission,” said York, who leads the agency’s Nuclear and Space Enterprise Support Office, or NESO.
DLA is working to bolster its support as the Defense Department prioritizes updating the nation’s air-, land- and sea-based nuclear assets while achieving military advantage in space. A recent portfolio review by the NESO team and DLA major subordinate command staffs that manage military supply chains will guide future partnerships with nuclear and space programs. In the near term, the agency plans to identify performance metrics that match DOD priorities and create a framework for routine reviews with warfighting customers.
Efforts also include improving demand forecasting, implementing effective procurement processes to quickly source supplies, and promoting data interoperability across systems and organizations to enable real-time visibility of supplies.
“We’re working hard to understand what new data DLA needs from the services to better capture their needs for aging weapons systems,” York said. “As the military services look at bringing newer, modern systems on board, we’re also helping them understand that if they want a part to be available two years from now, we need to be talking about that today so we can partner with industry to respond.”
Although the services are increasingly using artificial intelligence and machine learning to capture supply chain data, York said one holistic picture is needed rather than disparate views so DLA can better measure gains and deficiencies in support.
“Data is the cornerstone to everything going forward,” York added. “It’s the one thing that will allow us to make timely and relevant decisions on where to spend money with the limited resources we have, to get the maximum readiness benefit for warfighters.”
Building on Success
DLA is collaborating with the services to ensure weapons system designator codes are accurately assigned to national-stock-numbered items critical to nuclear and space programs. The code tells supply managers whether a part has a demand history and signals the need to stock the item.
“Just because a part hasn’t had a demand in the past 10 years, however, doesn’t mean it won’t all of a sudden be needed for a bomber that’s going to fly for another 10 years past what people projected,” said Harold “Wes” Wescott, a supply program manager for NESO.
Reassessing demand history for weapons system parts that were previously deemed unneeded enables the agency to increase readiness by creating contracts to meet future demands when new use patterns reveal a potential need, he added. When the Air Force recently discovered production no longer existed for a part essential for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, for example, DLA Land and Maritime worked with a manufacturer to create a lifetime buy, ensuring sustained support for almost 400 launch facilities.
Other instances of DLA’s contribution to nuclear and space readiness include a creative contracting approach by DLA Aviation that expedited the delivery of parts for B-52 engines by 14 months. NESO also expanded support of UH-1 and MH-139 fleets that provide emergency maintenance on missile fields and overflight security for critical component transfers. In space support, the team helped reduce material shortages at nine locations for the Satellite Control Network Antenna Group.
Balancing Needs and Resources
York said close partnerships with joint logisticians are critical to DLA’s ability to predict equipment needs, especially as customers stretch limited resources to maintain legacy systems while introducing modern systems that rival those of U.S. adversaries. Challenges often stem from fiscal constraints, global supply chain disruptions and the shrinking defense industrial base.
“It’s kind of a wicked problem set. We don’t have an endless pot of money or unlimited manufacturers who can make things, so our decisions have to be calculated and informed,” York continued.
Needs of nuclear and space programs are also difficult to prioritize, with all facets collectively impacting the nation’s integrated deterrence goals and efforts to fortify the U.S. homeland.
“You don’t have the luxury of just saying one system is a lower priority. They all have to be ready – at all times,” York said. “That adds up to a lot of tough decisions over time about where to direct money and resources.”
Nuclear and space assets are also more linked now than ever, and a parts failure or lack of support for one system could hinder the successful operation of another. Although the services determine when to stop sustaining older systems in favor of resourcing modern assets, York said, DLA informs those choices by being involved in discussions and planning sessions and by making sure the services know what DLA brings to the table. It’s not just parts.
“DLA Energy plays a huge role, especially in space. DLA Disposition Services ensures the recycling of strategic materials that are needed to modernize the nuclear enterprise. And DLA Troop Support provides gear and even medical equipment for the maintainers in the missile fields and bomber flight lines as well as for space applications,” he continued. “Our support is much bigger than most people think.”
Participation in training exercises like Elite Constellation and Global Thunder also prepares the agency to support warning drills and strategic preparedness while proving DLA’s effectiveness in end-to-end supply chain management, innovation, adaptability and proactive planning for DOD logistics, Wescott said.
“NESO is the cornerstone of the National Defense Strategy, and DLA is focused on improving sustainment to protect the homeland,” added Air Force Maj. Gen. David Sanford, DLA’s director of operations.
NESO members like Daniel Nugent, a senior supply analyst who works in data analytics, have been part of the team since it was created in September 2015. Wescott said they bring continuity and passion to the operation. The team also includes DLA liaison officers who are embedded with warfighters at U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Global Strike Command and Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.
“This is such important work. I deal with data and numbers every day, looking for problems that DLA can solve on behalf of our warfighters,” Nugent said. “The entire team serves a real need given the current geopolitical tension.”
York noted that DLA is uniquely positioned to support acquisition and supply chain management for nuclear and space programs as the nation’s logistics combat support agency, which was created in 1961 to bring efficiencies to logistics for all the services.
“Could they do it themselves at scale and speed to keep the modernization effort going? I don’t think even they would tell you they could do that, and certainly not without incurring a lot of extra cost,” he said. “Our experience as a big logistics enterprise, managing everything from acquisitions all the way through warehousing, distribution and disposal, brings tremendous value to this no-fail mission.”