The transparent supply chain

The U.S. military and contractors work together to make parts available when parts are needed.

With 65 cents of every U.S. DOD dollar being spent on sustainment and system support, effective supply-chain and logistical management are arguably just as important to fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the JDAMs, UAVs, and aircraft in theater.

Key to the supply-chain effort is visibility: Who controls a particular part, a U.S Air Force or Navy repair depot or the Defense Logistics Agency? How many parts are on a shelf in a warehouse? Which parts are en route, and to where? What is the status of repairs? All too often, though, the answers to those questions are murky at best.