RICHMOND, Va. –
Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Oklahoma City is proactively strengthening its supply chain resilience and bolstering warfighter readiness through strategic investments in organic industrial manufacturing and collaborative partnerships. This approach helps to ensure the timely delivery of critical aircraft parts, mitigates potential disruptions and exemplifies DLA's commitment to agility in a dynamic global environment.
Organic manufacturing leverages government-owned and operated facilities to produce essential goods and services for the military. Unlike relying solely on private sector contractors, this provides DLA with greater control, flexibility, and surge capacity, all of which are crucial when commercial sources face disruptions.
In the DLA Transformation strategy, it states: “DLA is the Nation’s Logistics Combat Support Agency, responsible for delivering agile, adaptive and resilient logistics support across the continuum of conflict. To succeed in an environment where our efforts are contested by adversaries in all domains at all levels of war, we must think, act and operate in new ways."
A prime example of this strategy in action involves a critical bolt used to secure the engine on the KC-135 Stratotanker, a vital asset for aerial refueling missions. When a major supplier experienced a fire at one of its facilities, it placed the delivery of these bolts and the KC-135 Programmed Depot Maintenance schedule in jeopardy.
“The KC-135 is a workhorse for the Air Force and ensuring its operational readiness is paramount,” said Richard Schwing, DLA Aviation at OKC deputy director. “When we learned about the fire, we knew we had to act quickly to find an alternative solution to avoid impacting our customers’ needs.”
As a result, Aviation at OKC rapidly partnered with Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, an Army-owned manufacturing facility, and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Together, they developed an organic manufacturing package to produce the required bolts. Within weeks, a contract was signed, and Rock Island Arsenal was slated to deliver 48 bolts monthly, beginning December 2025.
“This rapid turnaround demonstrates the power of collaboration and the flexibility of organic manufacturing,” Schwing said. “By partnering with Rock Island Arsenal, we quickly established a reliable supply source, avoiding significant disruptions to the KC-135 schedule and ensuring the aircraft remains mission-ready.”
Building on this success, Aviation at OKC is standardizing this process, creating a checklist adaptable to any government-owned facility, regardless of military branch. This potentially expands DLA's resource network and enhances responsiveness to future supply chain challenges.
“We've mapped out the entire process and developed a comprehensive checklist,” Schwing explained. “This allows us to quickly assess the capabilities of different organic manufacturing sites and establish production lines for a wide range of critical parts, aligning with the DLA Strategic Plan Imperative, Partnerships. Whether it's the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Space Force, we can leverage their organic manufacturing capabilities to meet our customers' needs.”
Organic manufacturing offers several key advantages. It fosters innovation, enhances technical expertise within the government workforce and reduces reliance on foreign sources, strengthening the nation's defense industrial base.
These partnerships also provide valuable workforce development opportunities, allotting employees the chance to gain experience in new manufacturing processes, collaborate across organizations, and develop a deeper understanding of their contribution to the warfighter.
In direct support of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment’s “Organic Industrial Base as a Supply Source” initiative, DLA is exploring ways to further streamline processes and scale organic manufacturing operations, which includes identifying bottlenecks, investing in new technologies, and enhancing collaboration with government agencies and private sector partners.
“By embracing organic manufacturing and fostering strong partnerships, the Aviation at OKC team is ensuring they can meet evolving customer needs and maintain a resilient supply chain,” Schwing said. “This commitment is essential for supporting the warfighter and safeguarding national security.”