Learn How Veracity’s OR and Software Engineering Capability is Leading ALQ-99 Asset Management into the Future
The ALQ-99 is an airborne electronic attack system that is used to jam radar and radio frequency signals. The system is mounted on EA-18G military aircraft to provide suppression of enemy air defenses.
The Issue. The ALQ-99 community needed to understand how best to manage their inventory as systems transition to next generation equipment, combined with routine maintenance schedules and other complicated issues.
Our Approach. As Veracity does in all new projects, we met several times with a cross-section of key stakeholders to hear directly how ALQ-99 assets are used and managed. These meetings provided valuable insight to both Veracity and the ALQ-99 community as we discussed current practices and future needs.
As part of our Ops Research process, we acquired a number of data sources from the customer that track assets and their status. Our data scientists wrangled the raw data from various decoupled sources and determined the accurate data fields to use. Data wrangling is an essential element of our process, requiring deep data science expertise (and patience).
Building the Model. With clean and usable data at hand, we then built a simulation model for how the ALQ-99 community manages its assets. We developed probabilistic rate parameters to coincide with various model assumptions and information obtained from the customer. The model projects how ALQ-99 assets flow through the ALQ-99 enterprise, using the current system state as its starting position. To simulate the flow of assets, the model applies readiness requirements, business rules, schedules, engineered rate parameters, and other data acquired from the customer and subject matter experts. From there we are able to create accurate and insightful data visualizations of asset use.
Modeling the Future. The ALQ-99 community now has far greater visibility into current and future inventory management issues. Information includes which assets will be in short supply while the fleet undergoes upgrades and transitions to other technologies. The model also enables the customer to explore alternative, “what if” courses of action for addressing shortfalls within certain budgeting constraints.
Veracity’s ongoing work with the ALQ-99 community is providing increased insight into how asset repair processes are managed, allowing greater fidelity to be built into the model. This fidelity is leading to optimized ALQ-99 repair processes and a far better understanding of priority-based needs.
Customer Praise for ALQ-99 Modeling
“PMA-234 contracted with Veracity Forecasting and Analysis to develop the AN/ALQ-99 Naval Synchronization Tool (NST) to link AN/ALQ-99 asset standards/requirements to the Master Aviation Plan and EA-18G requirements. The result, to date, is a robust planning tool for representatives at NAVAIR (PMA-234), Commander Electronic Attack Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Northwest, and NSWC Crane (AN/ALQ-99 Fleet Support Team). The tool provides a proactive snapshot, for each asset’s configuration, required by each stakeholder to meet mission requirements. The tool has already been used by CVWP to update standards/requirements and has paved the way for FRCNW to begin working their current inventory backlogs to improve overall community availability and readiness. The NST is also being utilized to build budget plans in support of repair funds in future FYs.
Utilizing this tool provides a defendable data set to justify funding and workload requirements alike. The NST has already provided a significant ROI to PMA-234 and continues to show valuable capability to the other stakeholders in the EA-18G community. Hats off to Darryl Lenhardt and his team for a great product thus far!”