DLA , DSCR gear up for KC-135 overhauls Published April 24, 2009 By Cathy Hopkins DSCR Public Affairs RICHMOND, Va. -- The Air Force's 50-year-old workhorse refueling tanker, the KC-135 Stratotanker, has kept airmen flying for more than 50 years, and with the help of Defense Supply Center Richmond and DLA Oklahoma City employees, it will fly for another 37 years. David Huguet, who works at DSCR's Aviation Customer Operations, has been the KC-135 weapon system support manager for seven years. He is the "go to" person when the Air Force has problems, projects, or sustainment issues affecting the KC-135. In 2005, Mr. Huguet became the focal point in Defense Logistics Agency when talks started about overhauling and rebuilding the flight control surfaces of the tanker from the inside out. The flight controls are all the moving parts that control the aircraft while in the air -- the spoilers, flaps, elevators, and rudder. There are a total of 26 flight control items. "Due to its age, the Air Force needs to overhaul the flight control surfaces to minimize unit maintenance time and increase aircraft operational availability," said Mr. Huguet. "The work will be done at Oklahoma Air Logistics Center over eight years and will require 254 full-time maintenance technicians." The overhauls begin in 2010 and DSCR is moving into high gear to ensure its ability to support requirements for 2,700 unique items used to build the 26 end items for 80 jets going through depot maintenance each year. What started as a one-man effort in 2005 built into a joint DLA and Air Force integrated process team. The team involves DSCR employees across the center and Air Force employees at Tinker Air Force Base and within the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center. "There has been a lot of great work done by the team on this project," said Mark Bowers. "Work that has been recognized at our general officer level." Mr. Bowers works in the Structural Squadron, 448th Supply Chain Management Wing at Tinker. The wing is part of the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center. However, as the project enters Phase III, Mr. Bowers expressed concern over 474 items and brought that concern to DSCR. "There isn't any local manufacturer available for work-arounds," said Mr. Bowers. He said as the Air Force entered Phase III of the project, this is an issue they need to resolve to keep the project on schedule. The OC-ALC is the single user for 90 percent of the stock items, and 75 percent of them are newly cataloged said Mr. Huguet. The KC-135 weapons system is one of several platforms DSCR is following through the sales and operations planning process that DLA director, Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson, directed field activities begin using in September. Mr. Huguet presented two projects in March to DSCR officials through the S&OP process. One project now under way involved getting 530 items on expedited contracts or accelerated purchases. The second project, presented March 19, involved approval to establish a six-month safety level stock for 474 show-stopper items associated with the overhaul project and identified by the joint DSCR and Air Force team. Kathy Cutler, DSCR deputy commander, approved the requested six-month safety stock increase and agreed to send the request to the operational S&OP meeting March 20. "The KC-135 stock increase was approved (at the strategic S&OP meeting March 20," said Bob Prillaman, deputy director of Business Process Support.