Sustainment

Sustainment involves the supportability of fielded systems and their subsequent life cycle product support - from initial procurement to supply chain management (including maintenance) to reutilization and disposal. It includes sustainment functions such as initial provisioning, cataloging, inventory management and warehousing, and depot and field level maintenance. Sustainment begins when any portion of the production quantity has been fielded for operational use. Sustainment includes assessment, execution and oversight of performance based logistics initiatives, including management of performance agreements with force and support providers; oversight of implementation of support systems integration strategies; application of diagnostics, prognostics, and other condition based maintenance techniques; coordination of logistics information technology and other enterprise integration efforts; implementation of logistics footprint reduction strategies; coordination of mission area integration; identification of technology insertion opportunities; identification of operations and support cost reduction opportunities and monitoring of key support metrics. (*continued after the table below*)

Sustainment Quick Reference Topic List (click on hyperlinked topic to directly access)

According to Joint Publication 4-0 (Doctrine for Logistic Support of Joint Operations), sustainment is defined as: "The provision of personnel, logistic, and other support required to maintain and prolong operations or combat until successful accomplishment or revision of the mission or the national objective" (JP 1-02). It includes the supplies and services needed to support the initial execution of approved OPLANs, an intermediate level of supplies to support the force until resupply is available, and the replenishment stocks necessary to maintain and conclude operations. Theater sustainment management should emphasize velocity and time-definite delivery from CONUS and other sources outside the theater rather than large in-place inventories."

According to paragraph 3.9.2.1. of the Defense Acquisition Guidebook, "sustainment includes supply, maintenance, transportation, sustaining engineering, data management, configuration management, manpower, personnel, training, habitability, survivability, environment, safety (including explosives safety), occupational health, protection of critical program information, anti-tamper provisions, and information technology (IT), including National Security Systems (NSS), supportability and interoperability functions." In addition, according to paragraph 5.4.3 (Sustainment: Operations and Support), "while acquisition phase activities are critical to designing and implementing a successful and affordable sustainment strategy, the ultimate measure of success is application of that strategy after the system has been deployed for operational use. Total Life Cycle Systems Management, through single point accountability, and Performance Based Logistics, by designating performance outcomes vs. segmented functional support, enables that objective. Warfighters require operational readiness and operation effectiveness - systems accomplishing their missions in accordance with their design parameters in a mission environment. Systems, regardless of the application of design for supportability, will suffer varying stresses during actual operational deployment and use."

Importantly, a new DUSD(L&MR) memo dated 10 March 2007 entitled "Life Cycle Sustainment Outcome Metrics" describes the new Material Availability Key Performance Paramater (KPP), and the three sustainment Key System Attributes (KSAs):  Material Reliability, Ownership Costs, and Mean Down Time. Additionally, the memo provides reference links for fourteen Life Cycle Sustainment Enablers:Performance Based Logistics (PBL), Corrosion Prevention, Item Unique Identification (IUID)/Serialized Item Management (SIM), Technical Data/IETM, Condition Based Maintenance (CBM+), Continuous Process Improvement (CPI), Title 10 Requirements, 50/50, Partnering, Depot Maintenance Planning, DMSMS/Obsolescence Planning, Training, Integrated Supply Chain Management (SCM), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Predictive Modeling, and Long Term Performance Based Agreements (PBA). The Joint Staff J4 Maintenance Division, in conjunction with the OSD staff, has also issued a useful 1 Dec 07 "Guide to Sustainment KPP".

Addition of these life cycle sustainment metrics into Defense Acquisition Executive Summary (DAES) reporting requirements were among the changes to that process outlined in a separate 2 Mar 07 DUSD (A&T) policy memorandum entitled "Format Changes for the Defense Acquisition Summary (DAES) Reviews". On 28 Aug 07, a DUSD (A&T) issued a subsequent policy memorandum entitled "Format Change for the Defense Acquisition Executive Summary (DAES) Assessments", which directs the services to begin reporting Life Cycle Sustainment as a fifth rating area in their quarterly assessments, in addition to cost, schedule, performance, and funding.

Finally, two other key documents life cycle logisticians should be familiar with as they plan and implement weapon system sustainment are Designing and Assessing Supportability in DoD Weapon Systems: A Guide to Increased Reliability and Reduced Logistics Footprint dated 24 Oct 03 and Performance Based Logistics: A Program Manager's Product Support Guide dated 10 Nov 04. The former provides an excellent overview of the linkage between performance and sustainment, which can be summarized as follows: Because a weapon system that cannot be sustained in combat is of little value to the warfighter, it is crucial that the warfighter's performance objectives drive the system's sustainment objectives which, in turn, drive the performance-based support strategy. It is imperative therefore that the Program Manager and the Life Cycle Logistician apply the processes for designing and assessing supportability not only in the acquisition framework, but throughout the entire life cycle. While "early is better" in terms of designing in supportability, the design and subsequent continuing assessment of supportability throughout the life cycle is essential to maintaining the effectiveness of fielded systems. In today's global threat environment, where rapid deployment of effective and sustainable systems is critical, designing DoD systems for supportability is an objective that can, and must, be met.

Check back often, as new topics, sites, and links are constantly being added. Topics coming soon include other sustainment elements outlined in para 3.9.2.1. of DoDI 5000.2. Check out also the general sustainment-related topics listed below.