Custom Solutions for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations

In Field Extrication

Many readers will see the initials “MRO” and scratch their heads. But, Maintenance, Repair and Operations is a vital part of any operation. For those of you who conduct MRO in their day to day duties, you will get an idea of how ADS is making your job easier.  For those of you who are new to the concept, you will come away with a better understanding of MRO’s impact on what you do.

So, to kick things off, let’s start with a Department of Defense definition of the term.  “…all action taken to retain material in a serviceable condition or to restore it to serviceability. It includes inspection, testing, servicing, classification as to serviceability, repair, rebuilding, and reclamation.”  So basically, MRO are the steps taken to keep equipment working whether it be rolling stock, HVAC, power grids, or basically anything mechanical or electrical.

The term “maintenance” by itself is pretty broad so we also need to develop a bit of an understanding of what this entails.  Types of maintenance include Preventative and Corrective.  Anyone who has spent any amount of time in uniform remembers performing preventative maintenance.  The user or operator of the equipment ultimately has the most intimate knowledge of how well it is performing and is responsible for keeping it clean and serviceable.  Regardless of individual service, overall the Department of Defense has an excellent program that requires regular inspections and maintenance of all equipment at scheduled intervals, whether the equipment is being used or not to prevent problems from developing and to correct them at the lowest level possible as soon as possible.

Depending on the branch of service the specific terminology differs but equipment is maintained in a tiered-system of responsibility.  More technical maintenance is performed at higher echelons.  Generally, entire systems are rarely maintained at these higher levels as they have become more modular with plug and play architectures consisting of components that can be easily removed and replaced at the individual or unit level. These individual modules are then repaired.  When an entire system is seen at the depot level, it is generally during scheduled maintenance and that means overhaul.  Oftentimes, much of this maintenance is handled by civilian technicians, contractors, or even the original manufacturer.

MRO Depot Repair

Maintenance schedules are developed when a new system is still in its infancy.  As developmental and operational testing progresses, much is learned about wear and tear on the system and life cycle predictions of various components are produced.  MRO experts then produce documentation to develop maintenance schedules.  This helps with predictions of availability of a system and overall life-cycle costs.

Repair is a little more straight forward.  It is quite simply, “fixing what is broken.”  While maintenance is performed on a predetermined cycle, repair is more expedient.  Something fails unexpectedly, perhaps due to enemy action or environmental conditions and must be repaired in order to be put back into service.  Oftentimes, this relies as much on the repairer’s ingenuity as it never fails that they right spare part is nowhere to be had and on-the-fly solutions have to be applied.  Also, in this instance specialized tools will not be readily available and the repairer must depend on a general tool kit.

Regardless of the level of maintenance or repair, tools, repair parts, and associated expendable materials are required.  This is where ADS steps in.  Based on my investigation, their greatest contribution to MRO is kitting.  ADS has leveraged their excellent reputation in the logistics business to develop new relationships with firms producing the best tools and materials to conduct MRO.  They have also worked with the user community to find out what it is that they actually need.

MRO Field Repair

Sure, ADS offers the latest and greatest tools, generators, repair parts, and services, but it’s how they have worked with end users to develop solutions in the forms of kits and associated new equipment training that is important.  By partnering with the best in the business such as DeWalt, Proto, Stanley Vidmar, Polaris, and Amphenol,  ADS can leverage their expertise and apply it to warfighter challenges.

DeWalt is no stranger to those who use power tools for a living, or at home for that matter.  By far, they also service the largest portion of the military market.  They have recently released a new line of 12v handheld tools that rely on removable batteries which can be rapidly swapped between tools to get a job done quickly.  In fact, there are over 40 tools available that use this same battery system.  The 12v lithium-based system provides a great balance for military use as it is lighter than the 18v system yet provides a great deal more power than the 6v systems that have traditionally been offered for lightweight use.  DeWalt takes great pride in developing products to meet user’s needs and this new 12v technology is just one example of how they have adapted their line to take advantage of the latest technologies.  Due to DeWalt’s philosophy of ensuring the compatibility of entire product line rather than individual tools, ADS can integrate them into a kit.

Small Arms Repairman Tools Kit

Stanley Vidmar manufactures a variety of storage solutions that can be used in garrison or fixed sites as well as in support of expeditionary operations.

One example of the kitting of tools was a custom Small Arms Kit for Beach Master Unit TWO, with the help of Armstrong Tools.  Taking Armstrong’s standard tool kit as a baseline, ADS and Armstrong altered the tool loadout and even added a weapon holding rack that attaches to the tool box which enables easy, on-the-go, stable weapons repair.

ADS has worked with Stanley to assist West Coast-based, US Navy Mobile Diving & Salvage Unit One by distilling eight separate legacy tool kits into a single kit.  Using Stanley tools as the basis of the kit, ADS worked with other vendors to introduce best-of-breed technologies into MDSU1’s kit in order to satisfy their unique maritime requirements.

Additionally, ADS has worked with Army and USMC units to help develop  the Joint Forces Extrication Kit for use with the Up-armored HMMWV and MRAP family of vehicles.  Despite being wheeled vehicles, MRAPs are still pretty heavy and when they roll over, getting trapped troops out of the wreckage becomes first priority.  The JFE-KIT consists of the Power Hawk all-electric  ”jaws” type rescue tool, a Rescue Saw, and other extrication hand-tools. The Power Hawk is electric so there is no need provide an additional external power source to run a hydraulic system.  Click here to watch the Joint Forces Extrication Kit on You Tube.

US Navy Mobile Diving & Salvage Unit One

ADS is now offering the Polaris line of tactical vehicles which provide excellent mobility and ease of operation.  Additionally, they are much less expensive to operate than more traditional wheeled vehicles and are easier on lift requirement to get them into theater and around the area of operations.  Furthermore, their off-road mobility is excellent and they are small enough to make it into tighter spaces including narrow roads and areas of dense vegetation.

ADS’s relationship with Polaris was born from a Marine Corps requirement. Last Summer a Marine FWD Supply Company out of Kandahar AFB needed quick and easy access to and from Forward Operating Base points as well as to transport Marines in need of medical attention. ADS worked with Polaris Vehicles to develop a customized vehicle made specifically for the Marine’s specifications. ADS’s unique mix of surge capability combined with a variety of procurement vehicles enabled the unit to field the 20 vehicles on schedule.

ADS works with end users and leverages their in-house team of subject matter experts to develop realistic solutions to MRO requirements.  What’s more, ADS regularly holds hands on seminars for their work force to educate them on the capabilities of various MRO technologies.

Additionally, just as we have seen with other commodities, as industry begins to realize that there is a specialized market they will begin to develop new and innovative products to support the military’s unique requirements.  ADS has the clout to help hasten this process.  They have already partnered with market leaders to introduce technologies to the military and continue to weigh requirements against the state of the art in order to seek out the best of breed for their customers.

To learn more and see the latest in MRO solutions visit adsinc.com/mro

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Eric Graves is the Editor of Soldier Systems Daily, a web-based publication of the tactical industry. He is a retired Air Force officer who also saw service as a non-commissioned officer in the US Army. Following his military service he worked for a period in the defense technology arena and started Soldier Systems Daily in 2008.