Maximising performance across a class of vessels, through optimal distribution of system availability

摘要

A hierarchy of performance metrics is proposed, allowing the line of sight to be followed from military effect, to capability, to system availability. Using this hierarchy, it is possible to quantitatively relate availability of individual systems, to the overall delivery of capability across a class of vessels, and indeed in principle across the entire fleet. Naturally, if all individual systems perform to 100% of their requirement, then the capability requirement is delivered in full, by definition. In practise, guaranteeing that this will be the case may prove unaffordable, and compromises may have to be made. Using this metric of overall delivery, it is shown that, if investment in systems was allocated such that all systems performed equally well, but at somewhat less than 100% of their ideal requirement, in terms of provision of availability, then the result is a disproportionately large reduction in provision of capability. If the same total amount of systems availability was re-distributed in a more efficient manner, then the overall result is transformed into a disproportionately small reduction in provision of capability. This result quantifies the considerable scope for improving the cost-effectiveness of overall support, through more careful allocation of investment at the system level. The hierarchy of performance metrics provides a basis for justifying any such allocation. The paper presents a theoretical model demonstrating the above result, and considers some of the more practical implications that arise when putting such a system in place.