Definition General Info Policies Guides Communities Training Related
DEFINITION
ILS is an integrated and iterative process for developing materiel and a support strategy that optimizes functional support, leverages existing resources, and guides the system engineering process to lower life cycle cost and decrease the logistics footprint (demand for logistics), making the system easier to support.
GENERAL INFORMATION/NARRATIVE
From the earliest stages of the systems development, the acquisition strategy and life cycle sustainment plan (LCSP, previously known as the Supportability Strategy) will ensure that the requirements for each of the elements of ILS are properly planned, resourced, and implemented. These actions will enable the system to achieve the operational readiness levels required by the warfighter at the time of fielding and throughout the life cycle.
The ten ILS elements are as follows:
-Maintenance Planning
-Manpower and Personnel
-Supply Support
-Support Equipment
-Technical Data
-Training and Training Support
-Computer Resources Support
-Facilities
-Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Transportation (PHST)
Supportability is the degree of ease to which system design characteristics and planned logistic resources, including logistics support elements, allow for the meeting of system availability and wartime utilization requirements. ILS is the process used by the Army to develop and implement product support, including all the mandatory acquisition logistics and supportability procedures.
POLICIES, DIRECTIVES, REGULATIONS, LAWS
The ILS process is governed by AR 700-127.
BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED, STORIES, GUIDES, HANDBOOKS, TEMPLATES, EXAMPLES, TOOLS
The Systems Planning and Requirements Software (SYSPARS) can be used to create required planning documentation for the elements discussed in this article. SYSPARS assists users with the creation of acquisition documents throughout the life cycle of a program. SYSPARS can be used to generate an Acquisition Strategy and a Lifecycle Sustainment Plan (previously known as a Supportability Strategy), two documents which are integral to the ILS Process. SYSPARS is free, and may be obtained by visiting the following hyperlink: https://www.logsa.army.mil/lec/syspars/
PowerLOG is a logistics data management system developed to support the development, integration, and review of logistic product information throughout the acquisition life cycle. PowerLOG implements the Logistics Support Analysis Record (LSAR) requirements defined in MIL-STD-1388-2B as well as Logistics Product Data (LPD) standards defined by GEIA-STD-0007. PowerLOG also supports legacy data standards such as MIL-STD-1552 (PMR). PowerLOG is available free to all Government agencies and their contractors and can be obtained by visiting: https://www.logsa.army.mil/lec/powerlog/.
The Computerized Optimization Model for Predicting and Analyzing Support Structures (COMPASS) is a system Level of Repair Analysis (LORA) modeling tool. LORA is the analytical methodology used to determine the maintenance repair levels where items should be removed and replaced; and ultimately repaired or discarded. LORA is a key activity in the maintenance planning process, which is one of the ILS elements. COMPASS estimates the cost to repair or discard items at various maintenance levels, with contractor facilities included as a separate level. COMPASS optimizes both the maintenance and support to achieve your target operational availability (Ao). COMPASS can consider up to four levels of organic maintenance (supports Two-Level Maintenance studies), supply support, and contractor support. COMPASS is a free tool available to both DoD and contractors at: https://www.logsa.army.mil/lec/compass/.
The Cost Analysis Strategy Assessment (CASA) Life-Cycle Cost Estimating Software uses an engineering cost model to estimate total cost of ownership based on RDT&E, Acquisition/Procurement, O&S, and Disposal activities. CASA can be used to predict and assess the lifecycle cost based on inputs from the ILS process. CASA is distributed freely to all US personnel. Request from foreign nations for CASA and associated training and technical support are handled through a Foreign Military Sales Case (FMS). CASA can be obtained here: https://www.logsa.army.mil/lec/casa/
Post Fielding Support Analysis (PFSA) can be useful in accomplishing the tasks discussed in this article. PFSA uses data captured in field performance databases such as the Logistics Information Warehouse, acquisition databases, and other user-owned data sources. PFSA assists users by using statistical methods for tracking logistics throughout the life cycle. This data can be used to gauge the effectiveness of an ILS program. PFSA is a free tool offered to the Army, it can be obtained by visiting: https://www.logsa.army.mil/lec/pfsa.
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
TRAINING RESOURCES
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Definition General Info Policies Guides Communities Training Related