Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) is the overarching Navy program and suite of systems responsible for getting aircraft off and back onto a ship. Arresting gear is a critical sub-component of ALRE. The arresting gear consists of a high-strength cable system designed to safely decelerate high-speed aircraft, like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, when landing on a carrier's flight deck. As the aircraft touches down, its tailhook snags one of three or four steel wire ropes stretched across the deck. Once engaged, the cable rapidly pulls out, transferring the aircraft’s immense kinetic energy to heavy hydraulic or electromagnetic engine systems located directly beneath the flight deck. This system absorbs the force, safely bringing the multi-ton aircraft to a complete stop in approximately two seconds and within about 340 feet.
(Source: Eric Forson)
Managing a consolidated technical portfolio of about 10,000 components used in arresting gear on aircraft carriers, the team collaborated with Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Program Office (PMA-251), Naval Supply Systems Command and key commercial partners to dismantle systemic supply chain bottlenecks.
The engagements fostered a ‘one-team’ mentality across DLA, NAVAIR, and NAVSUP, emphasizing shared accountability for fleet readiness over individual metrics.
“We engaged in open, candid discussions about what is working, our barriers, and how to optimize our roles, responsibilities and tools,” said Navy Capt. Mike “Timber” Kline, PMA-251 program manager. “I am encouraged by the momentum we established and am confident that our ongoing collaboration will allow us to successfully solve complex problems moving forward.”
DLA Weapons Support (Columbus) ALRE Division Chief Eric Forson echoed that sentiment.
“Between PMA-251, DLA and NAVSUP, we have nearly 700 dedicated personnel supporting the ALRE mission,” he said. “The greatest return on investment from these engagements was getting people out of their functional silos to remind them that we are a unified force with the exact same readiness mission.”
A critical issue the team addressed at the June summit was planning and forecasting as traditional predictive models had become ineffective. The joint team’s solution of shifting from isolated predictive models to a unified forecasting strategy will ensure parts are staged before critical failures occur, prioritizing fleet readiness.
Navy Capt. Jaime Roman, Force Air Systems Officer, N433, Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet said solving current supply chain challenges like this one is but one facet of the benefits of cross-collaboration.
“Mission success also depends on building stronger partnerships, improving our processes, and working as one team,” he said. “Together, we remain focused on delivering the right ALRE supply support at the right time for the warfighter."
Other initiatives established at the June event include preserving specialized labor, resolving critical production bottlenecks, and removing redundancies in pre-production testing requirements. The joint team agreed on a strategic shift to remove duplicative pre-production First Article Testing on items that already undergo 100% Production Testing to instantly compress fielding timelines.
The in-person collaboration proved to be invaluable for everyone involved.
“In our day-to-day roles, it is easy to focus solely on our individual mission,” said Amanda Porter, ALRE weapons system support manager at DLA Weapons Support (Columbus). “By working collaboratively, we can leverage our collective strengths to find the best resolutions.”
“Getting everyone in the same room realigned our focus,” Forson noted.
In addition to several industry engagements, the team also toured Lakehurst’s Prototype and Manufacturing Division, the Electromagnetic Military Aircraft Launch System, Advanced Arresting Gear and the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Detachment.
Forson said the tours provided the team a rare opportunity to see the hardware they support in an operational context, reinforcing the importance of the ALRE mission.
“Bringing cross-functional experts out of their silos and onto the manufacturing floor will transform how our workforce collaborates across agency lines to solve complex, high-stakes supply chain challenges,” he said.
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