Twenty years on in A&D

In a recently produced White Paper, IFS predicts that in 20 years' time 3D printing, wearable technology and the Internet of Things will be commonplace in Aerospace & Defence (A&D), and Drones and AI will dramatically change the way war is waged, military equipment is developed and the way assets – including our troops – are supported.

There will be a move away from current logistical support systems into a 6th generation with true integration of logistics and maintenance into an enterprise Information System (IS) solution, creating an environment which maximises operator value, workforce utilisation and automation while minimising cost.

The White Paper looks at technology and how this will derive 6th generation logistics.

The Technology
Technology will change the face of militaries worldwide – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned submarines will take on more and more surveillance and combat jobs. At the same time, context aware solutions will automatically tailor operations based on recognition of the maintenance environment. Equipment will be able to self report its current status, augmented reality will assist in training and operations, and mobile technology – including wearables – will allow critical information to be accessed at any time and in any place.

Maintenance processes will become more refined, compact and efficient allowing a new level of self-sufficiency and remote control. Some technology may also become increasingly disposable, even consumable!

The Enterprise
This next generation enterprise - the 6th generation - will see the full integration of operations, the enterprise, maintenance and the supply chain into an enterprise IS solution. This will include support optimisation using probabilistic methodology, embedding within it workforce scheduling and planning capabilities.

This 6th generation solution will provide common platforms to deliver appropriate views to both industry and the military, and will deal with International Trade in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as well as the proliferation of counterfeit parts.

The full White Paper on the future role of the support chain in A&D, is available for free download here.