After-sales obsolescence risk management in long-life defense projects

In the defense industry, products are often complex systems developed and maintained with detailed and complex business processes. Management and planning are difficult and complex in parts supply or production in such systems. The end-of-life phase of products is the final stage of the product life cycle, which begins with product retirement and ends with the expiration of all service contracts. Obsolescence will occur at the end of its useful life, where remanufacturing used or obsolete products can be an alternative source of obtaining spare parts. For this reason, the proper methods should be selected and applied for each stage. This study proposes an obsolescence management model of critical materials to determine in a large-scale defense industry company. By utilizing this proposed model, companies can purchase sufficient products to meet system requirements during its predicted life, reduce costs by optimizing the process and boost the availability of spare parts. This would ultimately lead to improved overall efficiency in managing products within the defense industry. The model would help mitigate the challenges associated with obsolescence and enable the defense industry to manage parts and products more successfully, resulting in better outcomes for all stakeholders involved.