Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD)

Executive Summary

Kratos/WSS provides weapon system lifecycle support for the US Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM) Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD), Non-Standard  Missile Systems Management Branch (MSMB) by providing engineering, logistics, and test and evaluation support for US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) missile and aviation systems at both CONUS and OCONUS locations. 

Our efforts include providing lifecycle engineering and logistics support to SAMD MSMB-managed Air Defense Weapon Systems, including HAWK and Chaparral, as well as non-US-type classified FMS missile systems. Our support activities encompass a broad spectrum of US Army and FMS test support activities associated with various air-to-air, ground-to-air, and ground-to-ground missile customers. We provide SAMD with the technical expertise to perform all aspects of field testing, range operations and instrumentation, data acquisition, analysis of various sensor data, and sustainment of all range communications and instrumentation. We are also responsible for complete oversight and maintenance of facilities, GFE/GFM, environmental protection, Class V ordnance storage, and range scheduling activities.

Situational Overview

AMCOM is headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. It is a major subordinate command of the Army Materiel Command (AMC). As an organization, SAMD is responsible for managing the transfer and sustainment of 24 AMCOM aviation and missile systems to over seventy foreign nations and organizations.

SAMD is responsible for the transfer and maintenance of all U.S. Army aviation and missile systems, as well as services and technical expertise, to over seventy foreign nations and organizations. SAMD’s role in the FMS process ensures delivery of a quality product, promotes system consistency for every country, utilizes Army acquisition practices, and ensures the highest level of integrity.

Unique Challenge

These legacy Air Defense weapons systems, no longer fielded within the US active or reserve component forces, require continual obsolescence analysis, technology insertion, modernization initiatives, and supportability approaches to remain effective and viable weapon systems for US foreign allies. These systems no longer have US Government established supply and/or repair facilities due to the systems being phased out of US service and many of the end-items were altered to a specific country configuration. Where as no centralized logistics, engineering, manufacturing, or supply facilities to support these systems exist; continuous lifecycle support was needed to support these systems that are fielded in over 23 FMS customer locations.

Kratos Solution

Upon initial award of a contract in 2005, Kratos/WSS proposed a unique alternative to providing overall lifecycle support to SAMD MSB legacy weapon systems. We proposed to consolidate all US weapon system materials that were being warehoused and/or stored at over nine separate locations within the US. We proposed consolidation of Excess Defense Articles (EDA), spare parts outside the DoD supply system, test equipment, and associated ground support equipment into a single Kratos/WSS leased facility. We further proposed to fully integrate our obsolescence support, return and repair, and total asset visibility capabilities into this facility. With SAMD MSB concurrence, we executed the plan, and within 12 months, consolidation efforts were complete, including Kratos/WSS taking responsibility for all material shipment and receiving inspection, and establishing inventory control and distribution processes and controls in accordance with DoD supply support regulations. A unique routing identifier code (RIC) was assigned to our facility in El Paso, TX, which allowed us to process requisitions from FMS customers. After the initial investment to establish the facility, Kratos/WSS recommended that the FMS Fair Share community consider funding the activities. The Fair Share community concurred with the request because they recognized the value in an efficient, expedited approach to supporting their overall logistical support needs.

Empowering Benefits

Prior to the completed consolidation, SAMD MSB was paying approximately $750K per year to various storage locations, including several US depots. The establishment of the El Paso facility mitigated the annual costs associated with storage and, as a result of consolidation, the demand for MSB FMS secondary item support has increased ten-fold since 2005. We presently maintain over 1.6 million secondary support line items to fulfill supply support requirements and to support our overhaul, maintenance, and repair operations.