The airmen at RAF Mildenhall, Britain, who maintain the Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130 aircraft in shape have managed to trim 20 days from the time it takes them to perform an isochronal inspection. And, they’re not stopping there. The 352nd Maintenance Squadron plans to attempt to cut another 10 days or so off that. The isochronal inspectors check some 2,400 individual items when they inspect and repair 85 aircraft systems. They began using “Lean Flow” management about nine months ago to reduce the time it takes to do their job.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.