A framework for benchmarking, classifying, and implementing best sustainment practices

This paper develops a methodology for identifying, classifying, and implementing a set of best practices that can increase the quality, reliability, and timeliness of industries that provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services on products. By cataloging and documenting these best “sustainment” practices, one can learn from others' attempts to maintain systems and avoid non‐value‐added processes. The authors identify the knowledge that exists at various research centers and MRO providers at US corporations – wherever the best practices may reside. The paper specifically focuses on the sustainment of US military systems, but it also draws analogies and conclusions for other global product and service providers.