The U.S. Navy Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Depot (AIMD) Lemoore Power Plants Division (F404 engine maintenance) was a real mess. Not-Ready-For-Issue parts were everywhere. Division thru-put was poor, there were 30 F/A-18 aircraft with bare firewalls (no engines), the maintenance crews were working 12-hour days, manning was at 61% of authorized levels, reenlistment rates were an abysmal 50%, and crew morale was lousy. The Officer-in-Charge of the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment decided to use Lean manufacturing to tackle the challenge. It would be the first application of the Lean concept to Naval Aviation.
