Press Release - Transforming logistics support for fast
jets
17 July 2007
The changes to how the Ministry of Defence maintains and repairs
Harrier and Tornado aircraft have reduced costs by a total of £1.4
billion over the last six years. Although availability of the
aircraft temporarily declined during the transition period,
availability targets for the Harrier are now being met and for the
Tornado, where the programme is less mature, targets were met in
December 2006.
Whereas previously all repairs had been carried out across
multiple sites, the MoD has rationalised how it repairs and
maintains its jets and created a two pronged approach of 'forward
repair' - operational maintenance and minor repairs to the jets;
and 'depth repairs' - where more significant work is needed.
Forward repairs are now conducted at each operational squadron,
and depth repairs are conducted at a single location - RAF Marham
for Tornado aircraft and RAF Cottesmore for Harrier aircraft.
Upgrade work has been integrated within the depth repair process,
in particular for the Harrier which is undergoing a major upgrade
from the GR7 to GR9 standard.
To do this the MoD has applied new techniques, including
introducing pulse lines - similar to a production line used in the
motor car industry. These bring significant benefits, including
greater productivity with fewer man-hours and less workspace and
spares holdings.
The MoD has entered into new partnerships with industry which
are managed by teams made up of contractors and military personnel
situated at main RAF bases. The new arrangements are based on
industry making available a specified number of aircraft or
engines, rather than on the number of repairs they carry out or the
number of spare parts they provide.
Changes have been introduced to the Harrier and Tornado fleets
at different times, but the cost of support has decreased
significantly. Over the period 2001-02 to 2006-07, the Department
has achieved cumulative savings in the support budgets of the
Integrated Project Teams managing Harrier and Tornado aircraft of
£109 million and £1.3 billion respectively.
The operational availability of Harrier aircraft has been below
target since 2001, and availability dropped even further with the
start of the upgrade work in 2003. However, in the last half of
2006 aircraft availability has been at or close to 100 per cent
against a revised target, mainly because there were fewer aircraft
in depth repair, as a result of the changes the Department has
introduced.
The pulse line approach means the time taken to perform minor
maintenance on the Harrier jet has reduced by 19 per cent. The MoD
has also been able to meet a surge in repair needs following
operations in Afghanistan.
Since September 2006 availability of the Tornado aircraft has
been improving and their availability target was met at the end of
December 2006. The new repair systems have also reduced minor
repair times by 37 per cent.
There is potential for the MoD to get more from the
transformation, however, two significant risks also remain.
The MoD has found it difficult to provide sufficient trained
personnel to man the pulse lines for both the Harrier and the
Tornado jets, but is committed to finding a way of doing so.
There are also problems with the timely supply of spare parts
for both types of aircraft. The supply chain is critical to the
operation of a pulse line and the MoD is working with industry to
try and resolve these difficulties.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, said
today:
"The Ministry of Defence has made significant reductions
in the cost of repairing and maintaining its jets, whilst broadly
maintaining aircraft availability. On this basis, the changes
represent value for money and underline the benefit of the MoD's
approach to partnering with industry and rationalising repair
activity.
"However, risks remain and it is important for the MOD
to continue to manage these so as not to compromise the good work
it has done in this area."
Notes for Editors:
- Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website, which is at www.nao.org.uk. Hard
copies can be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702
3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn, is the
head of the National Audit Office which employs some 850 staff. He
and the NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
Press Notice 35/07
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