Letterkenny: Supporting the Nation’s Warfighters

Written by Mark Sheffield, Chief of Staff, Letterkenmy Army Depot

Originally established as an ammunition depot, today Letterkenny is known as the Army’s Capabilities Based Depot. In addition to a robust ammunition mission, depot employees are repairing air defense ground equipment, tactical wheeled vehicles, material handling equipment, special forces ground mobility vehicles, power generation equipment, biological detection equipment, soldier support equipment, counter improvised explosive devices, and the new mine resistant ambush protection (MRAP) vehicles. As the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Air Defense and Tactical Missile Systems and the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Mobile Power Equipment, LEAD continues a tradition of supporting our soldiers and our Army for more than 65 years.

Letterkenny continues a journey of continuous improvement and adoption of best business practices employed in private industry. LEAD was the first Army depot to win the prestigious Shingo award. The Shingo medallion is awarded for excellence in business manufacturing utilizing Lean concepts. Now, a winner of five prestigious Shingo Prizes for Excellence in Manufacturing, LEAD is a proven leader in implementing innovative solutions. In 2009, the depot has established a goal of $10 million in documented savings through the application of Lean and Six Sigma concepts. LEAD team members are constantly aware of the need to drive down cost, reduce waste, and increase speed throughout the depot processes. With these goals in mind, LEAD employs Lean Six Sigma manufacturing principles in all that it does. The depot also has an award-winning environmental program and an externally recognized and certified quality management program.

In May 2009, Letterkenny will be part of the Army’s second deployment of the Logistics Modernization Program (LMP). LMP is one of the programs that stand at the center of the Army’s business transformation initiatives. LMP is considered a cornerstone of the Single Army Logistics Enterprise—an enterprise business solution (ERP) that will enable vertical and horizontal integration at all levels of logistics across the Army. By modernizing both the systems and the processes associated with managing the Army’s supply chain at the national and installation levels, LMP will permit the planning, forecasting, and rapid order fulfillment that lead to streamlined supply lines, improved distribution, a reduced theater footprint, and a warfighter who is equipped and ready to respond to present and future threats. Letterkenny will undergo this exciting and dynamic transformation along with Corpus Christi Army Depot in Texas and the Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command in Huntsville, Ala.

The LMP delivers real-time situational awareness and vastly improved decision-making capabilities, and it has significantly reduced logistics operational costs where it has been deployed. Letterkenny has been preparing for the go-live date for almost a year. The depot believes about 90 percent of all current processes will be revised or replaced with the implementation of LMP. A dedicated depot team led by Nadine Stoler has been writing business rules and building data for the pending deployment date. The LMP data team has invested numerous hours building maintenance routes, repair bills of material, and material masters. Several data trial loads and mock data loads have been accomplished to assess the system’s ability to migrate both valid and accurate data. The LMP transformation team has evaluated the depot’s end-to-end processes, written new business rules, helped develop end user training, and will conduct critical business process testing to validate the software’s ability to perform business transactions needed to run the depot business. According to Stoler, “It has been a very challenging opportunity to put all these moving pieces together into one well-coordinated effort.”

LMP is one of the world’s largest ERP implementations, leveraging the technology of ERP industry leader SAP to fully integrate the Army’s supply-chain activities. The LMP offers the Army’s logistics professionals a robust set of supply chain management capabilities that extend benefits to such functional areas as order fulfillment, demand planning and forecasting, maintenance program oversight, depot operations, and financial management. These activities include sourcing and acquisition, production scheduling, order processing, inventory management, transportation, warehousing and customer service.

CENTCOM SUPPORT

Every member of team LEAD, regardless of their role as mechanic or inspector, program planner or manager, knows that their job directly impacts the warfighters in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other combat zone worldwide. This awareness is felt even more acutely by those team members contributing to a variety of counter- IED programs. Everyone knows that his or her efforts contribute directly to saving the lives of warfighters. Our warfighters are fighting a war that is different from any in history. Our enemies are better informed, more sophisticated technologically, and more tactically agile than ever before. The ability of our warfighters to adapt immediately and effectively to the inevitable changes in enemy tactics can spell the difference between success and fatality. The most obvious and profound effect of LEAD’s counter-IED mission can be measured in lives saved.

EARLY YEARS

A nation at war relies upon the DoD organic industry to answer the needs of their dedicated warfighters. Reacting to soldier’s needs, LEAD began its support of the counter-IED program in 2004. LEAD received its first request in this area for armored door kits for HMMWVs. LEAD responded and produced 860 armored door kits ahead of schedule; using Lean concepts, the weekly output increased by 200 percent.

The next requirement was to produce armor boxes to protect the lives of Marines in the battle for Fallujah. Armor plating arrived on a Friday night and, in less than 72 hours, the boxes were produced and delivered for ballistic testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The depot produced an impressive 36 of these boxes in less than 14 days. Lon Bender, production supervisor said, “This is a prime example of the dedicated work force we have at Letterkenny. Everyone pulled together as a team, and we are all proud to play a small role in the success of our troops.” Another urgent requirement was received to produce armor kits for the M969 5,000-gallon tanker. Even though these kits required many design changes (and weighed in at over 2,400 pounds each), 150 of the M969 kits were completed four weeks ahead of schedule and $1 million under budget.

The following year, LEAD produced armor cabs for the M939 5-ton truck. LEAD began with a modest rate of five kits a week. Using Lean processes, production was increased to 25 kits a week without increasing the amount of floor space or manpower. This 500 percent increase in production provided much needed convoy protection to the warfighter in record time. With demonstrated success in the various armor programs, it was evident that LEAD had built relationships with the Army research labs (ARL), Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). LEAD’s responsiveness and demonstrated ability to recommend effective product and design changes that facilitate manufacturing are invaluable in getting the product to the warfighter. The timeliness of updating revisions and prototyping kept LEAD ahead of the rest. In many instances, ARL would provide the concurrent engineering, and LEAD would perform the manufacturing engineering and configuration management.

COUNTER-IED

In 2006, a report from Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England called on industry to come up with solutions to the threat of IEDs on U.S. troops. “IEDs are the leading cause of U.S. combat deaths and injuries in Iraq,” the deputy said. In response, the Rapid Equipment Force (REF) and the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) developed new technology and new devices as another step in the ongoing counter-IED effort. LEAD soon became an important performer in the effort to provide effective counter-IED devices to save soldiers’ lives.

LEAD’s unique cradle to grave approach decidedly sets them apart from others. LEAD proactively responds to the customer’s needs. By interfacing with ARL and REF, design changes can go from concept to fielding rapidly. After an operational needs statement is received from the warfighter and authorization is received from the REF, immediate and direct interaction with LEAD quickly results in effective design, working prototype and successful manufacturing of the end product.

WARLOCK-DRAGON

Letterkenny has been supporting CENTCOM since early in the war. In early 2006, employees from the Army Research Lab and LEAD teamed to produce Warlock-Dragon counter-IEDs. This vehiclemounted blowtorch system was designed to prematurely detonate explosives at operational speeds, and at a safe distance from the vehicle and the warfighter. ARL and LEAD engineers worked closely together to move this important device from prototype to production in under two months. At an award ceremony in June 2007, the Warlock-Dragon was recognized as one of the U.S. Army’s “Top 10 Greatest Inventions of 2006” as chosen by active duty divisions based on its impact on Army capabilities. Warlock-Dragon reached production status in 2007.

RHINO

LEAD’s reputation for speed and quality has resulted in the depot becoming the Army’s only manufacture of the Rhino counter-IED system. Initially field-developed by a sergeant in theater as a response to insurgent guerilla tactics, the Rhino project was brought to LEAD through the Rapid Equipping Force and ARL. This counter-IED device is attached to the front of a HMMWV to protect the vehicle and the warfighter from IED explosion. Originally scheduled to be a three- to four-month project, the Rhino project has now been running at LEAD for more than a year with thousands of devices fielded worldwide. Rhino successfully ramped into production in 2007.

Rhino has become the field commander’s counter-IED of choice. LEAD’s award-winning production processes are producing Rhinos at a record rate. The depot continues to receive documented evidence detailing events where Rhino has saved lives. The successful fielding of the Rhino has led to an entire new business in Rhino adapter brackets.

RHINO ADAPTER BRACKETS

After experiencing the overwhelming success of the Rhino counter- IED device, field commanders in theater demanded the installation of counter-IEDs on vehicles in every convoy. In enthusiastic response, LEAD immediately began the design and fabrication of additional bracketing systems so that these life-saving devices can be mounted to all other families of vehicles. Starting with eight families, LEAD stepped up in 2007 and currently manufactures brackets for 14 families of vehicles.

ROUTE CLEARANCE VEHICLE MODERNIZATION

Letterkenny recently opened a route clearance vehicle forward modernization facility in Kuwait to modernize and repair route clearance vehicles currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Route clearance vehicle (RCV) variants are a means of protecting the deployed servicemember. These vehicles, (Buffalo, Cougar, RG 31, Husky and the JERRV) utilize a V-shaped hull and armor plating to provide protection against mines and IEDs. Dependent upon the variant utilized, these vehicles offer the following capabilities: explosive ordinance disposal, troop and cargo transport, medical, security, convoy escort and combat engineering support. Also dependent on the variant, the RCV can transport up to 13 personnel making the vehicle a valuable commodity in troop movement operations.

Letterkenny Army Depot’s role is to provide program management and oversight to this critical mission. In response to this new requirement, LEAD has established a core team of rotational assignments that manage the day-to-day operations half a world away from Pennsylvania. Andy Fontaness, the forward site manager, says this job has been both challenging and rewarding. “Being able to repair and modernize these special vehicles in theater ensures soldiers are provided with the quickest turnaround possible.” Even under trying logistical challenges, Fontaness and his team focus on cost, quality and schedule. Letterkenny Forward (FWD) continues the tradition of excellence Letterkenny is known for. “When the first shot has to count … Count on Letterkenny.”

Letterkenny Forward services the U.S. Army, USAF and Marine Corps RCVs. The forward team plans to attain a sustained production rate of 32 vehicles per month at the midpoint of a three-year effort with total fleet modernization as the end state objective. The team will conduct operations with significant emphasis on personnel safety, quality and focused accountability of all government property and fiscal resources. The forward facility will reduce repair cycle time and negate intermodal transportation delays associated with ocean liner utilization. This time savings provides the combatant commander with an in-theater resource to accomplish maintenance-related tasks as well as expedites the overall processing of requests. This capability impacts the soldier in the field and ultimately saves lives by placing resources directly into the warfighter’s hands.

LEAD’s FWD personnel package began phased deployment on November 4, 2008. A contracted work force has been established and will comprise over 150 personnel to include third country nationals at the end state. The annual budget is estimated at $100 million and is projected to last at least three years. The facility became fully operational on January 28, 2009.

PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES

Letterkenny has continued to grow through both traditional Department of Defense workload and through partnerships with original equipment manufacturers. LEAD pioneered private-public partnerships in the early 1990s when the Army awarded the M109 Paladin contract to the United Defense team. United Defense was a partnership formed between Letterkenny Army Depot and BMY. This partnership produced every single vehicle on time, without qualifications and under program costs.

Letterkenny currently enjoys many partnership arrangements. Lockheed Martin and LEAD have teamed to provide repair and modifications to the Target Acquisition Detection System/Pilot Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS) on the nose of the Apache helicopter. Under the partnership, Lockheed provides the “white-collar” expertise including engineering, program management, supply chain management and configuration control. Letterkenny provides traditional “blue-collar” technicians, as well as backshop support. This model has helped reduce costs on the program and was the model for the Javelin Joint Venture partnership with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon that was recognized as the winner of Lockheed Martin’s Logistics Facility Award for Excellence and Defense Logistics’ Contractor-Military Collaboration of the Year Award.

Letterkenny and AAI have partnered to provide repair and upgrades to a variety of Shadow 200 ground support systems. As in the Lockheed model, AAI provides engineering, configuration management, and logistical support. The depot provides blue-collar support in the overhaul of generators, shelters, and other assigned systems. ♦

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