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The application of level of repair analysis to military electronics programs

<p>During the early stages of the acquisition cycle for a military equipment, the question
arises as to how the system will be maintained at an operationally capable level. The
desired level of readiness must be balanced against the cost of system maintenance. The
primary question to be answered is what is the optimum (i.e., least cost) maintenance
concept which will allow the system to meet its specified performance goals. In order to
answer this question, one must compare the costs associated with the possible choices in
maintenance alternatives.</p>
<p>
Level of Repair Analysis, or LORA for short, is an optimization technique used to
determine the optimum level of repair for each component in the system. Premised on
accurately addressing selected system life-cycle maintenance costs, the methodology, data
requirements, and algorithms used to conduct a LORA are found in Military Standard
1390C, Level of Repair Analysis.</p>
<p>
LORA examines the feasibility of repair from both technical (non-economic) and
economic standpoints. The optimization process will determine whether it is feasible to
repair an item, and if so, where and how.
While LORA is an excellent and necessary tool, like many analyses of its type, it has
limitations. Like any analytical tool, one must understand both the strengths and
weaknesses of the process to properly apply its techniques and interpret its results. Data
collection and entry into a computer model can be made relatively easily. Paramount
however to properly applying the techniques and results is a thorough understanding of the
LORA process. Therefore, the primary focus of this project and report is to illustrate the
strengths and limitations of the WRA process by its application to a specific example. It is
not intended to pass judgement on the LORA process as implemented and utilized by DOD.
Rather, it is intended that this report present an overview of the LORA process and detail
some of the nuances one could expect to encounter when performing a LORA.</p>
<p>
This report contains a description of the Level of Repair Analysis process and how this
process was applied to a specific United States Department of Defense electronics system.
This report documents the analysis (data and calculations used) to reach the repair and
discard decisions for the NIXIE Signal Generator Engineering Change Kit for the
AN/SLQ-25, a US Navy electronics equipment. This report differs from the one submitted
under the contract in that it contains more theoretical detail on the overall LORA process
and does not include any classified or proprietary data.</p> / Master of Engineering

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/41640
Date17 March 2010
CreatorsGodshall, R. N.
ContributorsSystems Engineering, Triantis, Konstantinos P., Blanchard, Benjamin S. Jr., Richards, R. G.
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeMaster's project
FormatBTD, application/pdf
RelationLD5655.V851_1990.G547.pdf

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