MILITARY AIRCRAFT: Cannibalizations Adversely Affect Personnel and Maintenance

摘要

We are pleased to be here today to share the preliminary results of our ongoing work regarding the military services practice of cannibalization, which is the removal of a working component from one aircraft to install it on another. In January 2001, we reported on the major performance and accountability challenges facing the Department of Defense and identified inventory management as a high-risk area because the Department continues to maintain levels of inventory that are too high, and its management systems and procedures are ineffective. 1 This means that in some instances, excessive quantities of some parts may be procured and held in stock, while in other instances, quantities are insufficient. We warned that if this condition persists, the Department risks having key items, including spare aircraft parts, not available when needed, impairing aircraft and other equipment readiness. To compensate for logistics shortfalls, all the military services Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps have resorted to the inefficient maintenance practice of cannibalization.