Breathing new life into older equipment: How to extend the service life of military assets
An exploration of how military organisations can keep life extension projects on schedule, within budget and meet strict safety requirements.
In this white paper, Evan Butler-Jones, IFS Aerospace & Defense, reviews the intricacies involved in extending an asset’s lifecycle and how organisations can keep life extension projects on schedule, within budget and meet strict safety requirements.
There is an increasing trend in military organisations to extend the lifecycle of aircraft and other equipment. Witness the U.S. Navy extending the lifecycle of the F-16, B1-B and B-52 for decades at a time. One of the primary factors is the cost of new equipment; with procurement focus often on next-generation equipment like the F-35, there is little budget for other procurement, necessitating cost-effective ways to stretch service from existing assets.
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Modern capabilities of instrumentation, simulation and computer monitoring provide the tools to track, analyse and manage the extra complexity of airframe modifications and fatigue life. These supporting capabilities and software should be retroactively introduced during a life extension programme to provide operators with the necessary insights to maintain safety and structural integrity.
Better data analysis and planning tools can improve the safety and efficiency of airframe upgrades. Good data collection and analytics are a vital requirement of supporting software to manage these extremely complex heavy upgrade programmes effectively.
The four key maintenance and support challenges of lifecycle extension programmes include:
- Airframe life extensions: Tracking new data regarding upgrades (airframe and avionics) and fatigue life analysis.
- Spare parts availability: Obtaining a 360-degree view of the supply chain as suppliers cease trading and parts become obsolete.
- Scarce resources: Addressing the problematic skills gap caused by the declining transfer of 'tribal knowledge' from experienced engineers.
- Executing programmes: Balancing the volume of maintenance with the need to maintain force capability and capacity (sorties).
By acting quickly and taking control of these projects with the right organisational processes and software support, military organisations can reap rewards including:
- Increased efficiency: Standardising documentation and digitising work orders can lead to double-digit percentage reductions in aircraft time in hangar.
- Safety and Integrity: Validating component history and using advanced analytics to ensure the safety of parts, including 3D printed metal components.
- Force Readiness: Providing commanders with an accurate status of equipment to the hour, enabling better mission planning.
Platform | Ideal Fit / Scale | Standout Strengths |
|---|---|---|
IFS Cloud Field Service Management | Mid-large enterprise; asset-intensive | Industrial AI scheduling; deep EAM/ERP |
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service | Mid-enterprise; Microsoft stack | AI scheduling; ERP/CRM alignment |
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