Acquisition Processes

Logistics Support Analysis

Initial Provisioning

Illustrated Parts Catalogues

NATO Codification

Machine Readable Code (Bar Coding)

Order Administration

Consumption and Maintenance Data Exchange

Standard Parts Library Data Exchange

Acquisition Processes

The Acquisition Phase of a NATO Project encompasses all Business functions carried out by a System Project Office before a system enters service and is accepted by the designated user(s).

These functions include Logistics Support Analysis, Initial Provisioning and associated activity such as Illustrated Parts Catalogues, NATO Codification, and Order Administration, decisions related to the development of Integrated Logistics Support and the definition and creation of Integrated Databases needed to support both Initial Acquisition and the In-service Phase of the system Life-cycle, and specification of Technical Documentation and Maintenance Manuals.

Logistics Support Analysis

Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) consists of a series of analytical tasks which identify the support planning parameters and management requirements for an equipment project, define the support requirements of an equipment, identify major cost drivers, assess and influence the Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) for the design options, identify optimum support solutions, balance life-cycle costs against performance, and verify the support solution adopted once an equipment enters service. The results of LSA are stored in a Logistics Support Analysis Record (LSAR) which is a single database for the equipment.

Note: The NCMB is considering sponsoring the development of an International Standard to support Acquisition Programmes and the associated Data Exchange, and this work has started to integrate MIL-STD-1388, AECMA SPEC 2000M, and AECMA SPEC 1000D and to harmonise their associated Data Dictionaries. If this work is successful the resulting ISO Standard and any associated NATO Applications Profiles (STANAGs) should replace the above Standard and Applications Profile by 1997.

Logistic Support Analysis Record

The Logistics Support Analysis Record (LSAR) contains the data elements derived from the LSA process specified in MIL-STD 1388-1A (See para 10.3.2.). Although this data can be delivered and stored in a variety of ways, complex projects are likely to require the data to be held in a relational database which can be maintained and used throughout an equipment life-cycle.

Note: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

It should also be noted that MIL-STD-1388-2B cannot be contractually invoked independently of MIL-STD-1388-1A (LSA - see above) and that, in addition, these incorporate coded information derived, inter alia, from the following US DoD MIL-STDS most of which are to be subject to major changes during 1996.

Initial Provisioning

Initial Provisioning Procedures are the first steps which constitute the formal process for the acquisition of initial spares needed to support defence equipment. The processes include the identification, listing, and presentation of sparable items, the presentation of illustrated parts catalogues (IPC), and NATO Codification.

Illustrated Parts Catalogues

Illustrated Parts Catalogues provide a spare parts breakdown for personnel employed in maintenance and stock management. Although the following standard includes a specification of Illustrated Parts Catalogues, current development work indicates that it may be more appropriate to handle such illustrations as part of Technical Documentation using AECMA 1000D.

Note: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

NATO Codification

NATO uses a standard system of numbering items of supply known as the NATO Codification System (NCS). NCS is designed to achieve maximum effectiveness in national and international logistics support, to facilitate data management in the materiel area, and to identify items which appear to be different but meet the same requirement.

Machine Readable Code (Bar Coding)

Items of supply for delivery to NATO Nations have packaging specifications which include the labelling of each item with a machine-readable reference number specified by the NATO codification standard. The machine-readable symbology is specified as a bar code.

Note: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

Order Administration

Order Administration is the term used to describe the methods used for placing orders for new items of supply or repair of repairable items of supply together with the related processes needed to obtain status information about existing orders.

Note: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

Order Administration Format, Content, and Communications Techniques

Notes: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

AECMA SPEC 2000M Revision 2.1 includes a comprehensive set of Order Administration messages which do not conform to ISO 9735/UN EDIFACT. Publication of an EDIFACT-compliant message set is expected in early 1996.

Consumption and Maintenance Data Exchange

Mechanisms for the exchange of data about item consumption in-use and on maintenance operations is prescribed in the AECMA 2000M standard, and further work is in hand to extend this work to cover repair activity.

Note: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

Standard Parts Library Data Exchange

The emerging standard for parts libraries will provide open capability for extracting information from different types of structured libraries into application systems and for transferring data between libraries. Libraries can range from parametric definitions through numeric tables to STEP Parts.

Note: The Policy and applicable standards for Parts Libraries, Data transfer for NATO, and the status of the above Standard has not yet been confirmed or validated in the NATO CALS context. NAMSA currently publishes a Master Cross Reference List of parts subject to NATO Codification for use by the Nations.