Effective part procurement for government, military, and private defense operations must be done through the correct channels; otherwise, you are bound to run into big compliance issues. Utilizing the Defense Logistics Agency’s supply chain is an ironclad way to procure quality parts that meet necessary standards. But how do you build a working relationship with the DLA and access their supply chain?
In this article, we’ll cover:
- What the Defense Logistics Agency Offers
- What the Defense Logistics Agency Supply Chain Does
- How the Defense Logistics Agency is Helpful to Aviation Programs
- What Greenwood Aerospace Offers Via the Defense Logistics Agency
Greenwood Aerospace is your trusted partner in all things aerospace. We help procure engine parts and more through our long-established network of suppliers. We help you find engine parts, aircraft parts and accessories, and more through our trusted network of suppliers and extensive parts inventory.
Let’s take a closer look at what the Defense Logistics Agency actually does.
What the Defense Logistics Agency Offers: From Engine Parts to Combat Logistics Support
The Defense Logistics Agency offers a variety of products, programs, and services that support multiple government organizations. As the Department of Defense (DoD) combat logistics support agency, its main purpose is to manage the end-to-end global defense supply chain for effective operational readiness. Given that the United States has the highest number of aerospace exports globally, it is crucial that the supply chain is managed with great attention to detail and care.
The Defense Logistics Agency provides a wide range of services and programs that supports national security, using its staff of 25,000 people across multiple supply chains to contract for materials and military supplies. Let’s break down the DLA’s mission and organizations.
The Defense Logistics Agency’s Mission
The DLA’s mission is to “deliver readiness and lethality to the Warfighter and support our nation through quality, proactive global logistics.” Its multiple supply chains provide essential goods to domestic and foreign operations, all of which count on the U.S.’s continued support for effective and skillful operations. This mission covers the Defense Logistics Agency’s ongoing commitment to supporting all DoD operations that require products, services, and logistical strategy in order to be operationally ready. In all, the Defense Logistics Agency provides goods and services to:
- The five military services
- Eleven combatant commands
- Multiple federal, state, and local agencies
- Several allied nations
From raw materials to user end disposition, the DLA’s reach offers great support to multiple levels of government services within the United States and with their allies. Their purpose is to assist military operations in the interest of national security, global defense, and combat logistics support; offering opportunities for foreign militaries to procure parts, access the U.S. defense supply chain, and utilize U.S. logistics services.
Organizations of the Defense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency has three main categories for its organizations; major subordinate commands, regional commands, and headquarters. These commands manage key resources and services that are essential to global operational readiness.
Major subordinate commands manage supply chains for essential goods and services available to various government and military branches. This command manages a huge amount of resources, from weapons systems repair parts to clothing and other textiles. The major subordinate commands also supply services in disposition and distribution. Roles within these services cover the disposal of excess property and the operation of a global network of distribution centers that support local and allied government and military agencies.
The Defense Logistic Agency’s major subordinate commands cover:
- Aviation Services
- Disposition Services
- Distribution Services
- Energy Services
- Land and Maritime Services
- Troop Support Services
Regional commands cover specific areas in which the U.S. government and military branches are stationed, liaising with U.S. Central Command, NATO, U.S. Forces Korea, and more. These regional commands operate as the Defense Logistics Agency’s headquarters in foreign countries, supporting areas of operation with key logistics, acquisition, and technical services, along with a global supply chain.
With the U.S. responsible for 38% of global military spending, providing resources and services to over 100 nations through regional commands is a highly effective way for the DLA to execute its plan for global readiness.
The Defense Logistics Agency’s regional commands include:
- CENTCOM & SOCOM
- Europe and Africa
- Indo-Pacific
DLA headquarters covers more administrative operations, from acquisition to transformation. The DLA headquarters focuses on office-specific programs, products, services, training, advice, guidance, and strategies. The Defense Logistics Agency’s strategic plan lists three critical capabilities within the department's lines of effort that are crucial:
- People and Culture: “Supporting our people.”
- Fiscal Stewardship: “Investing in outcomes.”
- Digital-Business Transformation: “Embracing the future.”
The Defense Logistics Agency’s headquarters make these capabilities possible. Through important internal departments that focus on human resources, intelligence, legislative affairs, and more, the DLA operates as a service that maintains and enhances defense force readiness for military services.
What the Defense Logistics Agency Supply Chain Does
The Defense Logistics Agency’s supply chain enables goods and services to reach government and military agencies in local and foreign areas. These services cover everything from the safe disposal of hazardous waste to procuring engine parts for aircrafts. The DLA’s supply chain works with the government and military supply chains to provide essential equipment and goods to ensure effective logistic operations across the DoD.
What is the Defense Logistics Agency's Role in the Military Supply Chain?
When it comes to the military supply chain, the Defense Logistics Agency plays an integral role. The defense supply chain is a subset of the military supply chain, focusing on defense-related products and services. The DLA is responsible for contracting, purchasing, storing, and distributing a majority of consumable, expendable, and repairable items for the DoD. There are nine specific supply chains that contribute to the military supply chain that the Defense Logistics Agency manages:
- Aviation
- Land
- Maritime
- Medical
- Subsistence
- Clothing & Textiles
- Construction Supplies & Equipment
- Industrial Hardware
- Energy
The DLA supplies 86% of the military’s spare parts and nearly all fuel and troops support consumables. The Defense Logistics Agency also manages the reutilization of military equipment, and provides catalogs and other logistics information products to military and federal agencies. These products are essential to the military supply chain, as the DLA offers necessary equipment and technologies that keep military operations running smoothly across a wide range of goods.
Goods and Services Provided by the Defense Logistics Agency
Because it is the DLA’s responsibility to support the DoD in all domestic and foreign agencies that require defense logistics, equipment, and goods, the DLA provides a diverse range of goods and services. It is a huge operation that only works through meticulous planning and strong communication between government and military agencies. Let’s break down the key services and products provided by the Defense Logistics Agency:
In addition to these products and services, the Defense Logistics Agency offers support services for military, government, and public customers. These support services cover a large range of categories, as the DLA manages so many supply chains and provides such extensive and specific services. From aviation strategic acquisition to complex disposition services, the Defense Logistics Agency’s customer support channels offer in-depth assistance.
The Defense Logistics Agency’s large supply chains provide essential parts for military aircrafts, via Unsplash
How the Defense Logistics Agency is Helpful to Aviation Programs
Currently, the Defense Logistics Agency is responsible for aircraft parts management for over two thousand weapons systems and over one million assets. With government branch budgets projected to tighten, agencies need to be more strict with their parts procurement processes.
The Defense Logistics Agency’s extensive industry knowledge helps in procuring aviation parts that are compliant with complex regulations, in addition to providing key aviation services. The DLA’s large supply chain and knowledge of essential resources are a key part of assisting the DoD to streamline foreign and domestic aviation programs.
How the Defense Logistics Agency Has Helped Aviation Programs in the Past
In addition to the Defense Logistics Agency’s resources for procuring quality aircraft parts, the DLA has an extensive history of positively impacting aviation programs. Across the five military services alone, the DLA has significantly assisted in operational readiness and parts distribution. From process improvements to overcoming logistical hurdles, DLA Aviation has become a dedicated resource that DoD agencies count on.
In 2015, the DLA sourced C-5 honeycomb panels by implementing new processes that reduced procurement times from up to 750 days down to 180 days. The strategic partnership of DLA Aviation and the Air Force Commodity Council significantly reduced waiting periods on essential parts for one the largest airlifters in the Air Force’s inventory – enabling fully-equipped, combat-ready military units to be dispatched anywhere in the world with short notice much more effectively.
Since 1942, the Defense Logistics Agency has been supplying and supporting U.S. warfighter planes, including the A-10, a small Air Force fighter jet known as the Warthog. In 2016, DLA Aviation reported their significant contributions to keeping the Thunderbolt II mission ready. These aircrafts saw combat in Turkey in 2014 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve targeting Islamic State militants in central and northwestern Iraq. The DLA continues to assist in procuring and sourcing the 9,600 unique parts to the A-10, estimated to have a value of $82.5 million.
The Defense Logistics Agency’s ongoing assistance with aviation programs plays a significant role in national security. From sourcing essential parts to building more effective processes, DLA Aviation is a vital part of the DoD’s aviation operations.
The Defense Logistics Agency’s Role in Providing Engine Parts
When it comes to providing engine parts, the Defense Logistics Agency has a crucial role. Due to the sheer volume of aviation programs that the DLA works with, there are a number of specialized programs across engineering and kitting that assist in providing engine parts. These programs vary from cataloging reutilized parts to addressing overpricing issues within part procurement. DLA Aviation’s engineering programs include:
- Forging and Casting
- Price Challenge
- Organic Manufacturing
- Sourcing and Value Management Services
- Replenishment Parts Purchase or Borrow (RPPOB)
- Reverse Engineering
- Standardization
- Value Engineering
DLA Aviation’s engineering programs address many aspects of sourcing and providing engine parts; their dedicated teams provide a thorough insight into industry-specific standards and source quality parts that keep aviation programs flying.
How to Search For Parts on the Defense Logistics Agency’s Supply Chain
When it comes to searching for parts on the DLA’s supply chain, customers must be well-versed in specialized industry knowledge. DLA Aviation offers extensive catalogs of parts available through its supply chain. However, as part of the government supply chain, searching for parts requires an in-depth understanding of aviation equipment and parts.
Understanding how to search for parts on the Defense Logistics Agency supply chain can be challenging given its supply and contracting services are highly regulated. To ensure you’re sourcing the right items, work with a trusted supporter of the DLA who can handle the complex regulations on your behalf. Greenwood Aerospace is a trusted partner of the DLA that has extensive industry knowledge of government standards and regulations.
Work With Greenwood Aerospace, a Trusted Supplier Through the Defense Logistics Agency
A simple way to work with the Defense Logistics Agency is to work with their trusted contractors. Greenwood Aerospace helps you bypass the complex challenges of understanding the defense supply chain and focus on the aviation logistics of your program.
As trusted partners of the DLA, we have in-depth knowledge of the compliance standards government agencies depend on for effective part procurement. Greenwood Aerospace is registered with federal agencies as a trusted supplier that meets industry regulations and standards.
We have forty years of experience keeping up with the supply and demand that comes with aviation part procurement, logistics, and inventory management. Let’s look further into how Greenwood Aerospace works as a compliant partner of the Defense Logistics Agency.
Working With Defense Logistics Agency Suppliers
Through our work with the Defense Logistics Agency, we are able to effectively source parts that are compliant with industry standards and regulations. Greenwood Aerospace is an ITAR-registered company, making us a qualified supplier of the DoD.
Greenwood Aerospace is SAM and CAGE Code-registered, allowing us to apply for federal grants, loans, and bids on government contracts. Our expertise allows us to support military and government agencies and private defense contractors. As qualified suppliers, our longstanding industry knowledge helps source, procure, and distribute the parts you need, fast.
Greenwood Aerospace: Your Trusted Supplier Through the Defense Logistics Agency
Greenwood Aerospace is a trusted supplier through the Defense Logistics Agency, with long-standing services in government procurement that assist all military branches. Our extensive industry knowledge makes working with the DLA simple. We offer services in procurement, contracting, logistics, and storage and distribution that serve a wide range of aviation programs in operational readiness.
We’ve assisted clients in streamlining aviation operations and providing compliant and high-quality parts. We utilize our connections with supply chains to leverage your buying power, quickly accessing the parts you need and keeping you within budget. We use our industry power to ensure your flight program operates as smoothly as possible, allowing us to proudly serve American aviation programs for over forty years.
Partner with Greenwood Aerospace for All Your Aerospace Needs
As trusted suppliers through the Defense Logistics Agency, Greenwood Aerospace offers expert supply chain management that makes sourcing aircraft parts simple. Our Oklahoma-based warehouse provides rapid part delivery to both coasts through our network of suppliers and extensive inventory. We make part procurement and logistics operations simple, supporting government agencies and the Defense Logistics Agency with our effective services.
Learn more about our services and how we can help you source engine parts through our work with the Defense Logistics Agency. For any inquiries or to get started on servicing your aviation program’s management needs, contact us today at contact@governmentprocurement.com.
For large sales inquiries, please reach out to us at sales@governmentprocurement.com.
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