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The Defense Logistics Agency’s Weapon System Readiness Program has received the Department of Defense Supply Chain Excellence Award for accelerating deliveries of hard-to-source parts and cutting costs through partnerships with small businesses.
Part of DLA’s research and development portfolio, the program targets chronic supply issues such as obsolete components, single-source dependencies, and long lead times. Officials said the approach has produced an average 84% reduction in wait times for critical parts, an estimated 45% cut in lifecycle costs, and a 4-to-1 return on investment. By tapping the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, the initiative brings in solutions spanning advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and sensor technologies, with production taking place in the United States.
“This award validates our core mission, turning the agility of our small business partners into a strategic advantage for the warfighter,” Borsinger said. “We’re not just funding ideas; we’re solving critical readiness gaps and delivering a clear return on investment to the taxpayer.” said Matthew Borsinger, the SBIR/STTR Program Manager for Information Operations.
“Each member of the team plays an important role in the success of the program,” Olinger stated. “By integrating the agility and ingenuity of our small business partners with the expertise of the DLA R&D and DLA Weapons Support teams, we are tackling critical piece-part challenges head-on. This collaboration builds a more resilient and responsive supply chain, which directly translates to enhanced warfighter readiness.” said Ali Olinger, chief of the Sourcing and Reliability Programs Branch for Weapons Support.
Program officials highlighted recent outcomes, including a redesigned safing wrench for the Air Force’s Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile that cut an expected one-year wait to just 60 days. In another case, a new manufacturing approach for a wire support spring used on B-52 and B-1 bomber missile launchers is projected to save more than $5.4 million on the first order and reduce the unit cost by over half.
Leaders said the effort is intended as a repeatable model to bolster the defense industrial base and prepare for future demand surges, with the DoD award recognizing its role in strengthening readiness.
