Assessing Factors that Impact TNMCS for the B-1 Bomber

摘要

Simulation provides a method of modeling complex systems which would otherwise be impractical for quantitative experimentation. While other analytic techniques have been used to explore Total Non-Mission Capable [due to] Supply (TNMCS) rates, simulation offers a different approach to discovering what aspects of the supply chain impact this metric. This research develops a discrete event simulation to investigate factors which affect TNMCS rates for the B-1B by modeling some core processes within the Air Force (AF) supply chain. A notional fleet of 16 aircraft at a single AFB (Ellsworth AFB, SD) is modeled based on historical supply and maintenance data. To identify and quantify the effects of various factors, an experimental design is used for analyzing the output of our high-level discrete event simulation. Additionally, two different approaches to reporting and modeling Air Logistics Center (ALC) stockage effectiveness (SE) are compared to our baseline simulation. This exploration shows several factors which significantly impact TNMCS rates and have the potential to reduce them to their current targets.