Military Readiness: Actions Needed to Further Implement Predictive Maintenance on Weapon Systems

GAO-23-105556 Published: Dec 08, 2022. Publicly Released: Dec 08, 2022.
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Fast Facts

DOD spends $90 billion a year to keep ground systems, ships, and aircraft combat-ready using scheduled maintenance or waiting until things break to fix them.

Using predictive maintenance based on data analysis could allow personnel to avoid doing work too soon—and prevent accidents. DOD told the military services to begin using predictive maintenance 20 years ago, but they made limited progress until recently. Also, DOD doesn't have firm plans on where to increase its use service-wide or measure results.

We recommended that the military services organize, plan, and measure the shift to predictive maintenance to support continued improvements.

Sailors on an Aircraft Carrier Install Equipment on an F/A-18E Super Hornet

A picture of two people fixing the wing of a Navy aircraft parked on an aircraft carrier

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Highlights

What GAO Found

The Department of Defense (DOD) issued an interim predictive maintenance policy in 2002, but the military services made limited progress implementing it until recently. In 2007, DOD instructed the military services to designate a single focal point for predictive maintenance, provide funding, and begin implementing predictive maintenance to achieve readiness at the best cost where it is technically feasible and beneficial. While the military services have begun piloting predictive maintenance programs on some weapon systems, they do not replace parts or components regularly based on predictive maintenance forecasts. GAO found that the military services have not consistently adopted and tracked implementation of predictive maintenance. By developing plans to implement predictive maintenance, including action plans and milestones for weapon systems, the military services would be better positioned to determine where, when, and how to effectively adopt predictive maintenance.

The military services have reported examples of how predictive maintenance has improved maintenance outcomes. According to military service officials, unplanned maintenance—which adversely affects costs and operations—can be reduced through greater use of predictive maintenance. Army and Navy officials also provided examples of predictive maintenance possibly preventing accidents on aircraft such as the AH-64 Apache and the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Predictive Maintenance Has Been Used for AH-64 and F/A-18 Aircraft

Predictive Maintenance Has Been Used for AH-64 and F/A-18 Aircraft

Military service officials acknowledge that, while they have examples of improvements they attribute to predictive maintenance implementation, the examples are from limited experience, and the military services generally lack metrics to evaluate the results of predictive maintenance. By developing plans with goals and metrics, and establishing procedures to monitor predictive maintenance, the military services will be better able to determine whether predictive maintenance achieves expected results and improves military readiness.

The military services identified personnel, parts, and technology resource challenges to implementing predictive maintenance and have taken some actions to address challenges. For example, temporary policy exemptions allow personnel hours saved using predictive maintenance to be used to address maintenance backlogs in other systems. The military services have also begun efforts to allow units to order parts ahead of need rather than waiting for the part to break. The military services also recognize that shifting to predictive maintenance is a cultural challenge that requires sustained leadership focus.

Why GAO Did This Study

DOD is continually challenged to provide battle-ready ground combat systems, ships and submarines, and aircraft to its warfighters, spending nearly $90 billion each year on weapon systems maintenance. To improve availability of weapon systems, DOD is implementing predictive maintenance. Often used in the private sector, predictive maintenance relies on personnel to use condition-monitoring technology and data analytics to schedule maintenance based on evidence of need.

House Report 117-118, which accompanied a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, included a provision for GAO to examine the use of predictive maintenance for the sustainment of ground combat systems, ships and submarines, and aircraft. GAO examined the extent to which the military services have (1) implemented and (2) assessed the performance of predictive maintenance, and described (3) challenges and efforts to address challenges with implementing predictive maintenance. GAO reviewed DOD guidance and budget materials for predictive maintenance, interviewed maintenance officials, and visited units implementing predictive maintenance.

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Recommendations

GAO is making 16 recommendations to the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force to develop plans to implement predictive maintenance and assess its performance. DOD generally concurred with the recommendations.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should designate a single entity with sufficient authority and resources necessary to support the implementation of predictive maintenance across the Army. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Department of the Army concurred with this recommendation. As of April 2023, DOD and the Army had not provided updates on efforts to implement this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Army has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should designate a single entity with sufficient authority and resources necessary to support the implementation of predictive maintenance across the Marine Corps. (Recommendation 2)
Open
The Department of the Navy concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition is the executive agent for for Department oversight of sustainment activity. As of April 2023, DOD and the Navy had not provided updates on efforts to implement this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should designate a single entity with sufficient authority and resources necessary to support the implementation of predictive maintenance across the Navy. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The Department of the Navy concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition is the executive agent for for Department oversight of sustainment activity. As of April 2023, DOD and the Navy had not provided updates on efforts to implement this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should designate a single entity with sufficient authority and resources necessary to support the implementation of predictive maintenance across the Air Force. (Recommendation 4)
Open
The Department of the Air Force concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Rapid Sustainment Office serves as the center of excellence to support implementation of predictive maintenance. As of April 2023, DOD and the Air Force had not provided updates on efforts to implement this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Air Force has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should develop a comprehensive implementation plan for predictive maintenance, which includes action plans and milestones for current weapon systems, outcome-related goals and objectives, a process for evaluating progress, and a framework to develop and track milestones. (Recommendation 5)
Open
The Department of the Army concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Army has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should develop a comprehensive implementation plan for predictive maintenance, which includes action plans and milestones for current weapon systems, outcome-related goals and objectives, a process for evaluating progress, and a framework to develop and track milestones. (Recommendation 6)
Open
The Department of the Navy partially concurred with this recommendation, stating that a comprehensive strategic implementation plan is necessary, but not all weapon systems are suitable candidates for predictive maintenance. We agree that not all weapon systems may be suitable candidates for predictive maintenance, and that deliberate study and analysis will help determine which weapon systems should implement predictive maintenance. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should develop a comprehensive implementation plan for predictive maintenance, which includes action plans and milestones for current weapon systems, outcome-related goals and objectives, a process for evaluating progress, and a framework to develop and track milestones. (Recommendation 7)
Open
The Department of the Navy partially concurred with this recommendation, stating that a comprehensive strategic implementation plan is necessary, but not all weapon systems are suitable candidates for predictive maintenance. We agree that not all weapon systems may be suitable candidates for predictive maintenance, and that deliberate study and analysis will help determine which weapon systems should implement predictive maintenance. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should develop a comprehensive implementation plan for predictive maintenance, which includes action plans and milestones for current weapon systems, outcome-related goals and objectives, a process for evaluating progress, and a framework to develop and track milestones. (Recommendation 8)
Open
The Department of the Air Force concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Air Force's Condition-Based Maintenance Plus Strategic Implementation Plan provides a predictive maintenance implementation approach, execution processes, and milestones for progress. When we confirm what actions the Air Force has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should develop a plan with specific quantifiable metrics and goals for evaluating predictive maintenance. (Recommendation 9)
Open
The Department of the Army concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Army has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should develop a plan with specific quantifiable metrics and goals for evaluating predictive maintenance. (Recommendation 10)
Open
The Department of the Navy concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Navy and Marine Corps are currently executing pilot studies, in part to assess how to measure predictive maintenance, and how to determine the correct metrics for tracking and accountability at the correct echelons of oversight and governance. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should develop a plan with specific quantifiable metrics and goals for evaluating predictive maintenance. (Recommendation 11)
Open
The Department of the Navy concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Navy and Marine Corps are currently executing pilot studies, in part to assess how to measure predictive maintenance, and how to determine the correct metrics for tracking and accountability at the correct echelons of oversight and governance. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should develop a plan with specific quantifiable metrics and goals for evaluating predictive maintenance. (Recommendation 12)
Open
The Department of the Air Force concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Air Force has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should establish procedures and conduct ongoing monitoring and reporting of the results from predictive maintenance for major weapon systems. (Recommendation 13)
Open
The Department of the Army concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Army has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should establish procedures and conduct ongoing monitoring and reporting of program performance and results from predictive maintenance for major weapon systems. (Recommendation 14)
Open
The Department of the Navy concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Department of the Navy is aligned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense's initiatives to develop and implement mechanisms for tracking and understanding sustainment data. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should establish procedures and conduct ongoing monitoring and reporting of program performance and results from predictive maintenance for major weapon systems. (Recommendation 15)
Open
The Department of the Navy concurred with this recommendation, stating that the Department of the Navy is aligned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense's initiatives to develop and implement mechanisms for tracking and understanding sustainment data. When we confirm what actions the Department of the Navy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should establish procedures and conduct ongoing monitoring and reporting of program performance and results from predictive maintenance for major weapon systems. (Recommendation 16)
Open
The Department of the Air Force concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Air Force has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

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