Business Case Studies & Business Publications

The F/A-18 F404 Engine: Getting Lean (A)

Brownlee, E. Richa...

Case

The F/A-18 F404 Engine: Getting Lean (A)

Brownlee, E. Richard II; Cross, Tom; Osterhoudt, Robert; Jaynes, C. J.; Pottinger, Jeff

C-2268 | Published September 19, 2007 | 12 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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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.