Past Award Winners

21st Century Partnership Past Winners Include:

C-5 Floorboard Lean Depot Repair Team (WR-ALC/MAN)

The Commodities and Industrial Products Division (MAN) performs the manufacturing of C-5 floorboards in support of Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) and spares for Air Force C-5 aircraft worldwide. This team of employees was chartered to design the manufacturing process for C-5 floorboards utilizing Lean principles.

Lean thinking is the systematic elimination of waste. The C-5 Floorboard Team used the basic Lean tools and techniques to completely redesign the floorboard production system. A value stream analysis was accomplished for the floorboard process, which identified steps that contributed to customer value and highlighted the opportunities for eliminating waste. Customer demand was quantified to provide the shops with a required daily production rate, thus providing a benchmark for ensuring customer demand was met. The manufacturing steps were identified and organized into an orderly and efficient flow, and staffing calculations were performed to determine the appropriate number of mechanics to utilize. The end result was a shift from a functional layout where the floorboards were “pushed” through the system to a flow layout where the floorboards are “pulled” through the system based on customer demand.

The team’s results were phenomenal and far exceeded expectations. Floorboard production increased so dramatically that this improved production process was a major contributor to the record-breaking PDM repair of 23 C-5 aircraft during FY03. Specifically, the team’s efforts resulted in a 33-day reduction in flow days and a 323 percent increase in productivity. The average monthly floorboard production increased from 12 to 46 with no increase in the number of personnel. Savings: $5.5 million

The U-2 Lean Phase Team

The U-2 LEAN Phase Team assigned to the 330th C21SR Sustainment Group. This team responded to the Secretary of Defense Transformation demands for innovative ideas and processes to meet the ever-evolving global war on terrorism.

To meet this demand, government and industry partnered to improve Beale AFB’s Phase Operation and Supply Chain Management for the U-2 Weapon System.

The results were: (1) the warfighter has more aircraft available to meet the global war on terrorism, (2) maintenance hours were lowered from 2,681 to 1,293, (3) an opportune maintenance process was implemented, (4) phase time was reduced from 14 to 8 days, (5) the right equipment was put in the warfighters' hands instead of sitting in a warehouse (70% decrease in phase non-mission capable parts, and (6) team actions enabled a cost savings of $5,000 per phase. The bottom line was to place three additional mission capable aircraft in the Warfighters' hands. These procedures will be implemented at other U-2 phase operations.

"No one does it better" can aptly be said about this outstanding team.

Special Operations Forces AC-130H Gunship Integrated Product Team (IPT)

The war on terrorism has commanded the most of the Gunship Mission Planning, Mission Execution, and Crew Training resources. Because of their theater of operations, the war fighters often needed two aircraft to accomplish their missions. At the user’s request, the Gunship IPT modified the Gunship fire control system with the Dual Target Attack (DTA) system, enabling one Gunship to accomplish the mission rather than two. Incorporating the DTA required ingenuity and creative design solutions for the engineering team to overcome outdated technology in the mission computer.

The use of the Dual Target Attack capability now allows one AC-130H Gunship to accomplish a mission previously requiring two aircraft, resulting in savings of approximately $5.2M the first year. Additionally, use of the DTA reduces the number of crewmembers placed in harm’s way, and most importantly, the Air Force gains a greater ability to protect the United States from its enemies.

F-18 Combat Identification (CID) Team

This team worked to establish a new paradigm and process wherein critical war-fighting capability, which was previously developed for the F-15 weapon system, could be efficiently migrated to the F-18 weapon system. This effort is a first step in what could become a major new process for sharing designs across weapon systems (and other Services). Savings: $8.5M (WR-ALC/MASF)

Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) Pod Section Integrated Product Team (IPT)

This IPT reviewed all aspects of system support and focused on driving reliability improvements to the field in spite of limited modernization funding. The key process change involved Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) improvements implemented through the depot repair process. The repair processes for two key LANTIRN pod items were modified to accomplish mandatory replacement and improvement of critical subassemblies. Savings: $4.7M per year (WR-ALC/LSTPL)

C-5 Global Positioning System Team

This dynamic team fixed a high failure, critical system that kept a large number of C-5s grounded. By working with the contractor who repaired the item, the team developed an alternate inspection criteria which reduced the repair time from 60 to 15 days, the non-mission capable hours by 75 percent, and the repair price by 25 percent.

C-5 Anti-skid Integrated Process Team

Developed new procedures to correct persistent braking and skid control problems and eliminated repeat taxi tests, blown tires, damaged components, and delayed aircraft. Savings: $6.5M per year (WR-ALC/LC)

U-2 Inventory Management Team

"Reengineered" the inventory management process to achieve right sized inventories, reduced repair times, and shorter acquisition times. Savings: $28.5M plus improved aircraft availability (WR-ALC/LR)

F-15 Spares Streamlining Initiative Team

Dramatically revamped the acquisition process for sustaining spare parts to reduce precontract award time from 125 to 4 days a 20,175 flow day reduction per year. Savings: $2.5M per year (WR-ALC/LF)

Mammography Notification Process Action Team

Re-engineered the process so that 97% of patients are notified immediately of results. Savings: Patient’s well-being (78th Medical Group)

JSTARS Maintenance Concept Team

Analyzed and implemented enhanced base level maintenance repair concepts. Savings: $15M (93rd Control Wing)

AIM-9 Missile Team

Improved the availability of power supplies and resolved other technical problems. Savings: $670K (WR-ALC/LY)

C-130 BOSS Team

Implemented new aircraft paint stripping technology using water and baking soda vs. harsh chemicals. Savings: $3500/aircraft and reduction of chemicals from 37 to 1 barrel/aircraft (WR-ALC/LB)

MH53-J Helicopter Team

Developed and implemented changes to increase helicopter fuel and payload capability by 50%. Savings: Increased range with negligible cost/flying hour increase (WR-ALC/LU)

Environmental Reduction Team

Reduced harmful chemicals in the avionics repair area. Savings: $80K/year plus a safer work environment (WR-ALC/LY)

Missile Launcher Rewarehousing Team

Retrieved, inventoried, and reused inventory held by a bankrupt contractor. Savings: $1M over contract estimate (WR-ALC/LK)

War Wagon Team

Developed an air transportable boron repair capability negating C-141s returning to the depot for repair. Savings: $240K (WR-ALC/TI)

Hazardous Material Cell Team

Developed and implemented a centralized, base-wide cradle to grave inventory control program for all hazardous materials. Savings: $1.3M (WR-ALC EM)

Engineering Data Computer Assisted Retrieval (EDCARS) Team

Reduced paper requirements for engineering drawings and aperture cards. Savings: $740K (WR-ALC/TI)

C-141 Sustainment Team

Developed an algorithm that generates a single parts priority list for the C-141 aircraft. Savings: $41M annually (WR-ALC/LJ)

Lean Logistics Team

Developed new distribution processes to support two-level maintenance concept. Savings: $1.5M (DLA)

C-141 Pedal Door Team

Developed new repair procedures elimination condemnations and the requirement for a new buy. Savings: $6.1M (WR-ALC/TI)

AN/ALR 69 Team

Developed modification to improve reliability of signal processor and receiver controller. Savings: $1.6M (WR-ALC/LN)

C-141 Center Wing Box Team

Won competitive bid with private industry to perform center wing box modification—program completed on schedule and under budget. Savings: $222M (WR-ALC/LJ)

Special Forces Extended Integration Support Environment (EISE) Team

Streamlined cycle time for identifying and executing engineering development and testing for all SOF aircraft. Savings: $1M (WR-ALC/LU)