THESIS - Defense Technical Information Center

1 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited A CASE STUDY OF THE APPLICATION OF RELIABILITY CENTERED MAINTENANCE (RCM) IN THE acquisition OF THE ADVANCED AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE (AAAV) by Luis Garza December 2002 THESIS Advisor: Michael W. Boudreau Associate Advisor: Ira Lewis THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of Information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of Information .

2 Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of Information , including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE December 2002 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master s THESIS 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A Case Study of the Application of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)in the acquisition of the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR (S) Garza, Luis 7.

3 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this THESIS are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) This THESIS examined the application of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) in the acquisition of the Marine Corps Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV).

4 RCM is referred to throughout various service and DoD wide references, but in the absence of specific guidance on how to apply RCM to an acquisition , the AAAV program provided a unique opportunity to analyze key decisions and results. The research included an examination of the RCM process to include RCM training provided on site at the AAAV program, a review of pertinent program documents, interviews with program representatives, and an analysis of the critical decision to utilize the RCM process. The key findings of the research effort concluded that when RCM is applied to an acquisition with program commitment, the program will gain a greater, more focused understanding of the system and subsystems, than with the traditional Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA).

5 AAAV also demonstrated that RCM benefits were broad and not limited to just maintenance analysis and that these benefits could be gained at any stage of the acquisition . This THESIS concludes by recommending that the acquisition community recognize the benefits and institutionalize RCM into the acquisition process. 14. SUBJECT TERMS Marine Corps Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle Program, AAAV, Major Defense acquisition Programs, Reliability Centered Maintenance 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 85 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT Unclassified 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE Unclassified 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT Unclassified 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UL NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev.)

6 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 ii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iiiApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited A CASE STUDY OF THE APPLICATION OF RELIABILITY CENTERED MAINTENANCE (RCM) IN THE acquisition OF THE ADVANCED AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE (AAAV) Luis Garza Captain, United States Marine Corps , Hawaii Pacific University, 1997 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 2002 Author: Luis Garza Approved by: Michael W. Boudreau THESIS Advisor Ira Lewis Associate Advisor Douglas A. Brook, Dean, Graduate School of Business and Public Policy iv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vABSTRACT This THESIS examined the application of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) in the acquisition of the Marine Corps Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV).

7 RCM is referred to throughout various service and DoD wide references, but in the absence of specific guidance on how to apply RCM to an acquisition , the AAAV program provided a unique opportunity to analyze key decisions and results. The research included an examination of the RCM process to include RCM training provided on site at the AAAV program, a review of pertinent program documents, interviews with program representatives, and an analysis of the critical decision to utilize the RCM process. The key findings of the research effort concluded that when RCM is applied to an acquisition with program commitment, the program will gain a greater, more focused understanding of the system and subsystems, than with the traditional Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA).

8 AAAV also demonstrated that RCM benefits were broad and not limited to just maintenance analysis and that these benefits could be gained at any stage of the acquisition . This THESIS concludes by recommending that the acquisition community recognize the benefits and institutionalize RCM into the acquisition process. vi THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vii TABLE OF CONTENTS I. A. B. RESEARCH C. RESEARCH D. E. F. ORGANIZATION OF THE II RELIABILITY CENTERED A. B. RCM C. RCM D. RCM E. APPLYING F. RCM G. ARGUMENTS AGAINST H. DOD POLICY ON III. RCM APPLICATION IN THE AAAV A. B. ADVANCED AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT C. AAAV PROGRAM CHOICE TO UTILIZE D. APPLICATION OF E.

9 RCM F. OVERCOMING RCM G. QUANTIFYING THE VALUE OF H. LONG RUN IV. ANALYSIS OF RCM AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE AAAV A. B. WHY HAS RCM WORKED FOR THE AAAV PROGRAM?..49 1. Program 2. 3. 4. 5. Organizational Structure and 6. Integrated Product C. BENEFITS OF 1. Better Understanding of Failure Mode Effects and How to Minimize viii2. Better Focus on Where to Spend Maintenance 3. Structured Approach for Understanding and Analyzing Proposed or Needed Changes in Design, Processes and 4. Common Point of Understanding for Addressing Operational Risk Areas that Will Result in Improved System 5. Timely 6. Never Too Late to Apply D. NEGATIVE CONSIDERATIONS OF 1. Financial 2. Opportunity 3. Temptation to Make Shortcuts in the RCM 4.

10 Obtaining V. CONCLUSIONS AND A. B. 1. RCM Provides a Sound Understanding of the AAAV as a 2. The Earlier RCM is Applied, the Greater the Benefits It Will 3. It is Never Too Late to Incorporate the RCM 4. The RCM Process is Not Limited to Just Maintenance 5. RCM Requires an Environment for C. 1. RCM be Institutionalized in DoD Acquisitions64 2. Apply RCM as Early as Practical in the acquisition 3. If You Cannot Apply RCM Early, It is to Apply It 4. In Addition to Maintenance Planning, Recognize the Power of RCM in a Broader 5. Provide the Proper Environment for RCM D. AREAS FOR FURTHER APPENDIX. LIST OF LIST OF INITIAL DISTRIBUTION ixACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of CWO5 Jim Gehris, Reliability Centered Maintenance Project Officer for the AAAV program.