Exploring maintenance alternatives for aging support equipment

Present automatic test equipment (ATE) for the OH-58D helicopter is rapidly becoming unsupportable. The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Project Management Office (PMO) determined a future support strategy for the helicopter´s unique avionics. The office considered total life cycle costs, Army ATE standardization policy, technical and programmatic issues in shaping a new support strategy. Life cycle cost analyses were performed on each of the technically viable support strategies using the cost analysis strategy assessment (CASA) models. Costs were compared in two categories. First, the cost of two level maintenance was compared to three level support. In the second comparison, the cost of upgrading the present ATE was compared to the cost of converting to Army standard ATE. The lessons learned in this study can be used by other project management offices in shaping future support concepts. The study separated the technical, economic and implementation issues so that each aspect could be dealt with in a rational and objective manner