T-38 Supportability Analysis and JCIDS Support

Customer: US Air Force, T-38 Sustainment Program Manager and Air Education and Training Command

Challenge: HQ Air Education & Training Command (AETC) and the T-38 Sustainment Program Manager requested support to facilitate a corporate decision regarding the timing and requirements for a replacement training system. Specifically, WBB was requested to independently assess supportability requirements and costs to maintain the current T-38 aircraft to three target timeframes: 2020, 2025 and 2030.

The envisioned assessment required a detailed analysis of both operational viability and aircraft sustainability of the entire 453 aircraft fleet that was based on the following four pillars:

Long-Term Mission Capabilities
Training Requirements
Platform System Health
Force Structure

A key objective of the analytical approach was to ensure the results were repeatable, defendable, traceable and a product of stakeholder collaboration.

Approach: In order to focus and expedite the development of this independent assessment around the four pillars, WBB developed a T-38 Viability Model to serve as a framework for our analysis.

As the first step, WBB conducted personal interviews with key stakeholders and performed a thorough review of historical and ongoing T-38 supportability studies, engineering analysis, weapons system reviews, the program of record, and sustainment roadmaps to develop an "as-is" supportability baseline.

Second, aircraft availability data was collected and analyzed from various US Air Force sources in order to ascertain the aircraft's health and anticipated future operational availability to meet AETC requirements.

Third, we analyzed current and future training capabilities and requirements to ensure the T-38 training system could support the expected pilot training requirement for advanced pilot training for future fighter and bomber pilots.

Through the analysis of this data, WBB developed supportability alternatives that the T-38 Sustainment Program Manager should pursue in order to keep the aircraft viable through 2030. Stakeholders prioritized these alternatives across a weighted T-38 supportability hierarchy. This prioritization process assigned a benefit value to each alternative that was combined with programmatic data to develop a benefit versus cost curve. Several courses of action were derived that maximized the capability benefit for each of the three future timeframes.

Value: This analysis produced a supportability cost estimate that decision-makers can consider in making the determination of when to replace the T-38. This provided a capability-based roadmap the T-38 Sustainment Program Manager can use to inform strategies to keep the T-38 aircraft viable until 2020, 2025, or 2030 dependent upon the needs of the US Air Force.