Faster, Cheaper Repairs for UK Harriers

Joint Harrier Team Slashes Cottesmore Turnaround Times

(Source: BAE Systems; issued July 29, 2004)

Reductions of up to 75 per cent in Harrier repair turnaround times, plus average cost savings of 25 per cent, are resulting from the work of a joint BAE Systems/Defence Logistics Organisation maintenance and repairs team.

In January 2003 a Harrier ‘pulse line’ facility was established at RAF Cottesmore to reduce the turn-around time for aircraft maintenance. A key aim was cut the time taken to design and implement Harrier aircraft repairs.

A pilot program was established next to the ‘pulse line’ hangar. The team included Royal Air Force personnel, plus BAE Systems Customer Solutions & Support design and structures engineers who were able to respond with ‘on-the-spot’ engineering advice and designs for repairs.

This new integrated organization achieved reductions of up to 75 per cent in turn-around time for design authority-approved repairs. It also realized corresponding cost savings, typically 25 per cent lower than the traditional post-design services approach.

The pilot program was unsustainable in the long term and so a new partnership, the Joint Repair Organisation (JRO), was established. The JRO brings together RAF, Royal Navy and BAE Systems CS&S people and remains based at RAF Cottesmore. The JRO is able to carry out full repair design, kit supply and embodiment activities for all types of UK Harrier aircraft.

The JRO is now operating under an incentivised contract, running through to the Harrier out-of-service date (currently 2015). Under a gain-share arrangement BAE Systems CS&S and the MOD will both benefit from future cost savings that occur through further working practice improvements.

The team responsible has just received a BAE Systems Chairman’s Award for Innovation Silver award.

“The JRMT/JRO approach has demonstrated the positive benefits to be gained from working in close partnership with the customer and provides a model for similar collaborative schemes within the company,” said BAE Systems director joint force operations Nigel Davey.