Integrated Obsolescence Impact Assessments Using a Readiness Based Spares Modeling Tool

This paper discusses pairing the identification of supply obsolescence data with the use of a Readiness Based Spares (RBS) Modeling Tool to expand the capabilities of Spares Availability, Spares Modeling, and Obsolescence Management disciplines to frame all impacts in relation to system or mission readiness. Current state often results in a silo'd approach where obsolescence data is manually integrated with spares inventory into a custom dashboard that is not scalable or tied to a larger Sustainment Digital Thread. While this approach provides a quick reference to the status of a systems' inventory of spares and can be available to individuals working in a crossfunctional sustainment support team, it relies on manual data incorporation, is dependent on manual handoffs and data incorporation, and is moderately expensive to maintain. Most importantly, it lacks a larger connection to the design phases of a product lifecycle and therefore becomes a limiting factor in deploying a Digital Engineering methodology across the product lifecycle. This paper will discuss the benefits and limitations of the current state for supply availability and obsolescence tracking. It will then make recommendations for how a combination of digital thread approach to sustainment data and commercially available system readiness modeling software can be utilized to deploy a scalable capability for reporting changes to obsolescence and/or supply status as it relates to overall system or mission readiness.