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Rheinmetall Pressing Ahead with F-35A project: AERO-Bildungs GmbH Commissioned with Technical Training for Production Mechanics

Saturday, June 8th, 2024

Rheinmetall is pressing ahead with its F-35A programme. The technology group has commissioned AERO-Bildungs GmbH to provide technical training for the production mechanics for the centre fuselage section of the F-35A in Weeze.

AERO-Bildungs GmbH is a partner specialised in the field of technical training within the aviation sector. The mid-sized family business located in Oberpfaffenhofen in Bavaria will assist with planning of the training and the implementation of basic technical training. This shall enhance the knowledge and skills initially learnt at Northrop Grumman in the USA not only to be applied in Weeze, but also to be passed on to other employees in the same quality, thus enabling a transfer of knowledge. In cooperation with experienced Rheinmetall trainers, a dedicated training and competence center is being set up in Weeze to ensure sustainable knowledge building and ongoing employee qualification.

The commissioning of AERO-Bildungs GmbH as of April 2024 is the first step towards further integrating German companies into the F-35A delivery and supply chain for the Weeze site. It underlines the Duesseldorf-based technology group’s commitment to increasing German added value within the programme.

Rheinmetall has been commissioned by Northrop Grumman to produce at least 400 centre fuselage sections for the F-35A fighter aircraft in 2023. Extensive infrastructure measures are currently underway in Weeze, North Rhine-Westphalia, near the Dutch border. The aim is to complete the production facility in spring 2025 and then start production in summer 2025.

About Rheinmetall Aviation Services:
Rheinmetall Aviation Services GmbH (RAS), based in Bremen, was founded at the beginning of 2019 for strategic cooperation with Sikorsky in the Heavy Transport Helicopter (STH) procurement project. RAS has been working in close cooperation with the German Air Force at three different airfields since 2021/2022. RAS is seamlessly integrated into the German Air Force’s organisational structure and successfully takes over support, maintenance and repair of the CH-53G fleet.

Another important milestone was achieved in 2023 when RAS, in cooperation with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, entered into the production of centre fuselage sections for the F-35A. With an investment volume in the three-digit million euro range, Rheinmetall is currently building a state-of-the-art factory at the Weeze site in North Rhine-Westphalia for the production of at least 400 F-35A centre fuselage sections for the German Air Force and allied nations.

A new era in the air dimension will begin for Rheinmetall with the completion of the factory by the end of the first quarter of 2025 and the subsequent start of production and delivery of the first centre fuselage sections as of the first quarter of 2027.

Posted in Aviation, Industry, International, MRO, Training | Comments Off on Rheinmetall Pressing Ahead with F-35A project: AERO-Bildungs GmbH Commissioned with Technical Training for Production Mechanics

Wilcox Industries Corp Announces a New Integrated Logistics Support Plan

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

Tampa, FL – At the annual SOF Week, Jim Pettigrew, Vice President of Integrated Logistics Support, outlined Wilcox’s vision to support the unique operational needs of our customers. Recognizing the importance of the investment when purchasing Wilcox equipment, this new program is designed to reduce our customers overall life cycle costs and get the maximum return on their investment. Whether our customer is a part of an elite force, a conventional military unit, or law enforcement, our Wilcox team aims to provide an affordable full life cycle support package through flexible fixed pricing or cost-based Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) solutions.

Our specialized ILS24, and ILS36 are fixed priced support solutions that offer ILS support for up to 36 months, above the standard warranty. Our flexible ILS Plus solution will be a cost-based option that can be renewed yearly meeting the needs of our customer’s requirements. Our “Just-In-Time” ILS packages will be competitively priced and designed to meet specific customer needs. The final details of this program will be released before the end of this year.

In response to the announcement, James Teetzel, CEO, of Wilcox, stated, “We are very excited to offer this extended warranty program to our customers! With the limited budgets our customers contend with, it is our responsibility to be as creative as we can for our customers to get the most out of the funding, they have available, whether directly or indirectly. We need to always ensure their equipment is ready when needed now and in the future!”

For More Information

For more information on our ILS protection plans, visit www.wilcoxind.com/ILS.
For information about Wilcox or Wilcox Products, visit: www.wilcoxind.com or call: 603-431-1331.

Posted in Advertiser, Logistics, MRO, Press Release | Comments Off on Wilcox Industries Corp Announces a New Integrated Logistics Support Plan

Man Lift USA Stands Ready to Fulfill Explosion Proof (EX) Rated Material Handling Equipment (MHE) Requirements

Wednesday, May 1st, 2024

As new Explosion Proof (EX) rated Material Handling Equipment (MHE) requirements and regulations become more stringent across military and commercial sectors, Man Lift USA stands ready to fulfill needs of end users and program offices for EX compliant MHE.

Man Lift USA designs and manufactures specialty aerial access and material handling solutions. We have been providing lift and access equipment for the most unique, hazardous, and challenging environments since 2000.

Our material handling equipment is designed to boost productivity and ensure safety in demanding work environments. We offer a range of products such as boom lifts, scissor lifts, material lifts, and mobile cranes to develop tailor-made solutions for your facilities, aircraft, ship, or rocket construction and maintenance.

Our flagship products are our EX rated articulating boom and scissor lifts. However, we also offer several other electric, electrically insulated, Track-Driven, and more traditional MHE solutions for customers in addition to our EX rated line of products.

Man Lift USA’s equipment is recognized as the gold standard and utilized extensively across the aerospace, shipbuilding, chemical, and construction industries in addition to aircraft maintenance, facilities maintenance, painting, fuel cell work, or any environment where explosion hazards may exist. Our EX rated lifts meet and exceed safety requirements working in and around enclosed spaces, ordinance, paint vapors, or volatile fuels and chemicals.

Our lifts have longer run times between charging cycles than the competition and offer essential options such as aircraft protection kits, collision protection kits, omnidirectional steering, and vertical access platform accessories as well.

For sales inquiries or additional information please contact:

James@manliftusa.com

Billy@manliftusa.com

www.manliftusa.com

Posted in Advertiser, MRO, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Belleville’s Flyweight “Shorty” for Air Force Maintainers

Wednesday, April 10th, 2024

The 100% American Made Flyweight “Shorty” C315ST is designed specifically for Air Force maintainers working in hot weather conditions.

Specs:
6” height
ASTM Certified Steel Toe – EH Rated
Exclusive VIBRAM “Tarsus” outsole
Flat ribbon laces
Only 20oz per boot!

www.bellevilleboot.com

Posted in Advertiser, Air Force, Boots, MRO | Comments Off on Belleville’s Flyweight “Shorty” for Air Force Maintainers

Half-Mast Sends: PS Magazine Will End Historic Run Effective Sep 30

Saturday, January 13th, 2024

Troops…

Due to Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA)-directed reductions of DA Civilian authorizations, PS Magazine will cease operations effective Sep 30, 2024. These reductions, among others across the Army, are necessary to right-size the total force, as well as support modernization.

PS Magazine’s transition to end of mission has already begun, and mission execution is reducing as its writing staff is reassigned or retires. Any residual support will cease operations no later than Sep 30. In the near term, this will affect the magazine’s ability to respond to Reader Inquiries, depending on the commodity or end item being inquired about. It will also mean a reduction in new content being posted to the website, with new articles all but ending this spring.

Efforts are being made to ensure the website remains available for reference for up to three years past end-of-mission. Once this website is fully retired, readers can continue to access the PS Magazine archive on the publicly available Radio Nerds website HERE.

On behalf of Connie, Bonnie, SFC Blade, Cloe and the other staff now retired, it’s been our distinct honor to serve Warfighters across all services for going on 73 years. You never know; perhaps someday we’ll be recalled to service. We’ll stand ready just in case.

For now, be safe, follow your TMs and always treat your vehicles and equipment as if your life depends on them. For surely, it will.

Connie & Bonnie (upper left and right); SFC Blade & Cloe (lower left and right)

Posted in Army, Guest Post, MRO | 16 Comments »

Warrior East 23 – CACI Remote Support Kit

Friday, July 7th, 2023

I learned about the CACI Remote Support Kit while visiting the Mastodon Design booth during Warrior East. Based on the capability it presents, this is far and away the most significant capability I saw at the show.

The kit consists of a Microsoft HoloLens and reachback software which allows the maintainer, or even user to contact tech support and troubleshoot and repair malfunctioning equipment even while in the field. All they need is a data comms pipe.

Due to the HoloLens, the tech support rep sees what the deployed user is looking at and can highlight areas to investigate using Augmented Reality. In one incident I was told about, the user was shown which screws to open to access inside a panel to investigate the problem. In this fashion, the tech rep not only indicates the correct action but ensures they are being followed. Additionally, tech support can remoteky take control of the desktop and push software and firmware to any broken systems.

This system saves not only money by avoiding the evacuation of gear with simple maintenance issues, but also keeps the unit on mission by minimizing downtime.

Units and agencies can procure products seen at Warrior East by contacting ADS, Inc.

Posted in Advertiser, MRO, Warrior Expo | Comments Off on Warrior East 23 – CACI Remote Support Kit

Rheinmetall Presents Mobile Smart Factory for Mobile Production of Spare Parts for Battle Damage Repair

Wednesday, June 28th, 2023

At an event organised by the European Defence Agency (EDA), Rheinmetall presented a new solution for the mobile production of spare parts for military vehicles.

Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, an OEM for tactical and logistic tracked and wheeled vehicles, presented the new mission support concept. The Mobile Smart Factory (MSF) delivers metal 3D printing and postprocessing capabilities and is fully integrated into Rheinmetall’s
IRIS (Integrated Rheinmetall Information System) digital ecosystem.

The MSF consists of two 20-foot mobile shipping containers, one serving as an office container and the other as a production container. The office container houses an air-conditioned workstation and storage space. A polymer printer and a handheld scanner for quality control is also part of the office container. The production container is equipped with a Metrom P7000, a 6-axis hybrid machine. This machine is not limited to wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology. With an integrated CNC milling facility, it also enables on-site finishing and postprocessing. The combined welding and CNC capability gives Battle Damage Repair personnel additional options for repairing and overhaul. This is why the MSF also lives up to its name of “Mobile Smart Factory”.

The machine can produce components with a maximum size of 700 mm in diameter and 450 mm in height. All weldable wires and polymers can be used. The metal deposition rate is up to 600 cm3/h (cubic centimetres per hour).
What makes the Mobile Smart Factory unique is its integration into the IRIS© platform. As an OEM of military vehicles, Rheinmetall understands the importance of secure data exchange and lifelong product monitoring of printed parts, including quality assurance. The cloud-enabled IRISplatform enables the fully integrated operation of the IRISwork and IRISfleet software applications with the MSF, meeting IT security standards up to NATO Restricted. IRISwork provides operators and maintenance personnel with access to technical documentation andspare parts catalogues, while IRISfleet is a fleet management tool that documents the installation of a specific printed part on a specific vehicle. IRISfleet stores all relevant information about the printed part and keeps a digital product passport to ensure system security. IRIS technology also includes access to remote support from industry, engineers, quality assurance, etc.

The collaborative multitenant IRIS platform enables the armed forces and defence industry to integrate partners into a secure network, providing rapidly deployable additive capabilities for the modern battlefield.

Posted in International, MRO, Press Release | Comments Off on Rheinmetall Presents Mobile Smart Factory for Mobile Production of Spare Parts for Battle Damage Repair

Warrior East 23 – SEA DOO Watercraft

Monday, June 26th, 2023

On Friday, the day after Warrior East, ADS hosted a maritime Demo Day which showcased several technologies including this SEA DOO 170 Explorer Pro personal watercraft.

The SEA DOO 170 Explorer Pro is new this year from Bombardier Recreational Products and offers space for up to three and comes equipped with a rear deck which is great for rescues. ADS works with Alpha Logistics Group to add customization like this RP Advanced Mobile Systems inflatable bumper to allow the operator to get right next to decks and other watercraft.

I didn’t even realize ADS offered watercraft aside from Combat Rubber Raiding Craft and outboard engines. Apparently, they’re offered through the MRO (Maintenace, Repair, and Operations) team and generally executed through the FES (Fire and Emergency Serrvices) TLS (Tailored Logistic Support) contract.

Units and agencies can procure products seen at Warrior East by contacting ADS, Inc.

Posted in Advertiser, Maritime, MRO, Warrior Expo | 1 Comment »