SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
1000 DEFENSE FENTAGQN
WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1000

 

SEP 1 7 2018

MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR AND

SUSTAINMENT
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. FOR PERSONNEL AND
READINESS

SUBJECT: NDS Implementation Mission Capability ot?Critical Aviation Platforms

in order to preserve the most lethal military in the world the Department of Defense
must maintain a competitive adi antagc in every domain in concert 11 ith giound and nan al
assets for which separate guidance 11 ill be pro1 ided our air assets must prove dominant
over the battle?elds of both today and tomorrow. A key component or this ettort 1s

ensuring our critical aviation platforms meet their mission capability targets b} the end of
FY 2019.

As current Military Department prov: am objectite meinoranduins make clear 11111
Department faces budget constraints and shortfalls in aviation squad1 cm across the torce.

As a result our aviation i111 entory and supporting intrastructuie softer lrom systemic
underperformance overcapitalization and unrealized capacity.

1 am con?dent in our Department's ability to gene1ate additional capacity from
our current aircraft 1111 entory alongside the commercial aviation industry 3 sustainment
of high at, ailability rates. As we seek to achieve our Uoals we can learn from industry's 
benchmarks for measuring speed cost and mission capabilitgir as well as its best
p1 actices for implementing a sustainable Department wide system

As Sets ice Secretaries and stew ards 01 this process vour leadership 1s critical t: :1
creating an enduring and modern a1 iation sustainment system that maintains out assets
infrastructure and supply chain. You must be agents of change. as we adjust and scale

our processes across individual plattorms.Ser11ce?owned inventories and Militaiy
Departments

For change to be effective and ethcient we must teens on meeting our most critical
p1iorities These include achieving a minimum of 80% mission capability rates for
our FY 2019 Navy and Air Force inventories assets that town
the backbone of our tactical air pon- er - and reducing these platforms opet stint1 and
maintenance costs every year starting 111 Fr 2019 Progress cannot be limited to these

platforms alone Our Militant Departments must also set and pursue aggressite targets for
other enduring ?xed? and rotary sing at iation assets

Close coordination across the Department will be necessari to achieie these
piiorities Beginning 111 October 2018 the ader Secretary of Detensc for Peisonnel and

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Readiness in collaboration with the Military Departments, will provide

de?nitions and reporting procedures to measure mission capability and cost. 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sitstainnient and the Military -
Departments must also work together to develop and deliver effective implementation

frameworks for the B35, 13?22, I 6 and -18 no later than October 9018. These

frameworks must outline how best practices will be incorporated in units, depots, and
supply chains.

AS our Nation?s defenders. it is our duty to pass onto generations a stronger

and more lethal US. military than the one we inherited. With these steps, I am con?dent
we. will be able to do just that.

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cc:

CMO





USDU)

Chief, NGB
Director, CAPE