Quality Issues in the Military

1. Quality Issues in the Military By Lei Fu Hung Hoang Craig Shull Edmund Tai

2. Agenda • Quality Process in the Military • Case Study: The Osprey • Quality Issues • Discussion • Additional Examples: • Kurst Submarine • Space Shuttle Challenger

3. Quality Process in the Military • 70s - 80s • All military equipment mfg according to specific requirements (MilSpecs) -> No economies of scale, slow defense industry, $$ • Mid 80s • Increased commercial technology • ‘Off-set’ strategy: Match Russian threat with superior technology, not numbers • Present • ‘Modernize’ the working of a huge organization • Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) • Revolution in Personnel Management (RPM)

4. Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) • Outsourcing of non-core competencies • Adopting commercial buying practices, E-commerce • Streamlined testing • 5 Pilot Programs (proto-typing) • JDAM precision-guided bomb, Fire support combined arms tactical trainer, etc.

5. Revolution in Personnel Management (RPM) • Recruitment • Quality standards • GI Bill • Education & Training • Workstation in bases, computer-trained • Simulated operations training facilites • Retention & Quality of Life • Housing provision • Family compensation • Discrepancy between military and civilian pay

6. Effect of RMA and RPM • Benefits • Good implementation: efficiency • Management of defense programs: in control • Adaptation: flexibility and changing world • Quality in Sourcing, Planning and Implementation.

7. Case Study: the Osprey

8. Background • A tilt-rotor, Vertical/Short Take-Off or Landing aircraft • First strike weapon to insert and extract US Marine Corp amphibious forces • Designed and developed by the Boeing Engineering Company and Bell Helicopter • First delivered in late 1999

9. Why Osprey? • Work horse of USMC is the C-46 helicopter, a 1960’s design whose fleet is aging quickly • Flies faster than a traditional helicopter making it less vulnerable to enemy fire • Able to fly greater distances and can re-fuel in mid-air

10. Osprey Problems • Vortex Ring State – V22 gets caught in its own prop wash, loses lift • Hydraulic Failure – V22 loses hydraulic pressure in its control system • Drive Shaft – Drive shaft coupling fails • Software – Fly by wire capability in both helicopter and fixed wing

11. Catastrophes • Delivered late 1999 • April 2000 – 19 Marines killed when Osprey loses all lift and plunges into the runway • August 2000 – No fatalities, Osprey drive shaft coupling fails, loses all power • December 2000 – 4 Marines killed, combination of hydraulic and software malfunctions

12. Quality Issues • Testing • USMC skipped tests of the V22 Osprey to save money and meet deadlines • Only performed 1/3 of originally planned tests • Originally planned significant testing at various rates of decent, speed and weight while converting from helicopter to airplane mode, none attempted

13. Quality Issues (continued) • Hydraulic System • Marines had warnings there was trouble in the hydraulic system, dismissed • Key factor in December crash was frayed hydraulic casing

14. Quality Issues (continued) • Falsification of Maintenance Records • Col. Leberman, a lieutenant in the USMC, orders subordinates to falsify maintenance records • “The reason we need to lie or manipulate data, is that this program is in jeopardy”

15. Why? • Political Clout • $30 billion dollar project • Large suppliers are from various states • USMC • Do not want to admit initial “unwise decision”, continue to cover up

16. Garvin’s Eight Dimensions Marine Emphasis Dimensions Aesthetics Conformance Durability Features Reliability Performance Perceived Quality Serviceability

17. Garvin’s Eight Dimensions Marine Emphasis “Points of Failure” • Features • Tilt-rotor design • Larger cargo space • Greater lift-off capacity • Performance • Dual-functionality • Speed • Fuel efficiency • Reliability • 4 crashes in 2 years • Serviceability • Only 38% field capable • Conformance • Misrepresentation of maintenance tests

18. Cost of Quality Prevention Internal • Human lives • Aircraft cost • Servicing/Repair • Pilot testing • Maintenance • Design costs Appraisal External • Equipment testing • Mission simulations • Public relations • Liability claims

19. Other Examples • Kurst submarine • Challenger shuttle

20. Kursk Submarine On Saturday, August 12, 1999, the giant Russian nuclear submarine Kursk -- carrying a crew of 118 -- sank in the icy waters of the Barents Sea.

21. Kursk – Potential Causes • Explosion of weapons in 1st compartment resulting in internal fire • Explosion during trial of a "secret torpedo" or other new Russian weapon • Collision with own target, which resulted in a torpedo explosion • Flooding through non-dense closed bow torpedo tubes after the exercises or because of torpedo sticking in the tube

22. Kursk • “The sinking of the Kursk is the latest in a litany of naval disasters underscoring the disarray in Russia's military” • Shrinking military budge • inadequate training • flagging morale • a bias towards land-based missiles • the country's nuclear submarine fleet in a state of perilous disrepair

23. Space Shuttle Challenger On January 28, 1986 America was shocked by the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger, and the death of its seven crew members.

24. Challenger – Why? Cause of explosion was an O-ring failure in right Solid Rocket Booster (SRB)

25. Challenger – Whose Fault? • The probability of a failure with loss of vehicle and of human life • Working engineers: 1 in 100 • Management: 1 in 100,000 • Why such an enormous disparity? • An attempt to ensure supply of funds from government • Lack of communication between management and engineers

26. Summary • Duty versus Moral Obligation • Quality Trade-offs • Cutting-edge or Defective? • External Influences on Quality Control “For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled”