JSOW Team Wins DoD Acquisition Award
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS051221-13
Release Date: 12/21/2005 9:37:00 PM
From Naval Air Systems Command Public Affairs, PEO(W)
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy’s Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) team was presented with the Department of Defense’s David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award in November.
The Packard award recognizes teams and organizations that have demonstrated exemplary innovation and best acquisition, technology or logistics practices.
The AGM-154 JSOW precision strike weapon, manufactured by Raytheon Company, is a 1,000-pound air-to-surface missile that can carry several different lethal packages. The weapon’s standoff range of 12 to 65 nautical miles allows JSOW to remain outside the threat envelopes of enemy point defenses while effectively engaging and destroying targets. JSOW is integrated on the F/A-18C/D/E/F, F-16, B-52, F-15E, B-1B and B-2 aircraft. Integration is underway on the Joint Strike Fighter.
In the fall of 2003, the U.S. Air Force withdrew from JSOW production, causing a unit price increase of $53,000 per weapon. The increased unit price and the lack of continued jointness placed the program at risk of being terminated. In 2004, the JSOW team began an innovative, best-practices acquisition strategy that reduced the JSOW–C variant unit cost by 25 percent, saving the Navy $133.5 million in the future years defense program and an additional $421 million over the life of the program. The cost-reduction program was named JSOW Block II and was funded by both Raytheon and government investment.
The cost reduction achieved by the team was found in three phases. Phase one focused on lean manufacturing, outsourcing and incentivizing suppliers, and improving processes. Competition and investment resulted in 19 new suppliers and lower cost components, with a total associated saving of $7,000 per weapon.
Phase two incorporated class II engineering change proposals to replace weapon components. Highlights of phase two included replacing the 28-volt system and 56-volt actuator batteries with a single battery package that provides the same capabilities. Minor modifications and new suppliers of the wing deployment driver, GPS antenna, control section and power converter were also implemented during this phase.
Phase three developed major engineering change proposals. The guidance and electronics unit was redesigned to address obsolescence, provide commonality across multiple product lines, incorporate a faster processor, and implement a new GPS encryption standard.
Savings were reinvested into further cost reduction. The Navy sponsor was able to procure an additional 547 JSOW weapons to address user inventory concerns. Additionally, savings were applied to a weapon upgrade that provides networked data link and moving target capability.
“I am so impressed with this team and their level of dedication," said Capt. Dave Dunaway, program manager of Precision Strike Weapons office. "We are saving dollars that are immediately reinvested back in the Naval Aviation Enterprise to improve inventory and capability for the warfighter.”
The JSOW program is managed by the Program Executive Office, Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation, located at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
