Application of the Integrated Product Support Elements by the F-35 Joint Program Office.

摘要

The Life Cycle Logistics community went through a major transition in April 2011 with the creation of the 12 Integrated Product Support (IPS) elements, outlined in the Department of Defense s Product Support Manager (PSM) Guidebook. This article aims to promote understanding of the IPS elements and to provide an update on their implementation across the Services by describing their innovative application in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program. Before examining this implementation, however, let us consider the elements themselves. The 12 IPS elements serve as a powerful enhancement and update to the traditional 10 Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) elements. Why was this done. As shown in Figure 1, the two additional elements, product support management and sustaining engineering, were added to reflect the PSM and life- cycle logistician s enhanced enterprise roles and responsibilities, which transcend the traditional logistics domain. The PSM is a key leadership position for Acquisition Category I major defense acquisition programs. In order to identify and define the roles and activities in developing and implementing a viable product support strategy, the PSM needs to be able to interface effectively with senior leaders from other functional domains, including program management, contract management, business and financial management and systems engineering. Consequently, the product support management IPS element was created. This element provides the framework for the integration of the other 11 IPS elements, so the product support solution delivered to the warfighter is fully integrated and meets the warfighter's needs in terms of readiness, reliability and affordability.