Strategic collaboration breaks silos to transform the ALRE supply chain

The Defense Logistics Agency, the Navy and private-sector suppliers say a recent push to overhaul coordination and planning for the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment supply chain is yielding results as the fleet prepares for upcoming carrier deployments. The effort centers on DLA Weapons Support (Columbus) and the Navy’s program office for ALRE, and follows a series of strategy sessions and industry visits held across New Jersey and Pennsylvania in April and June.

ALRE covers the systems that send aircraft off a carrier deck and bring them safely back, including the arresting gear that stops high‑performance jets within a few hundred feet in a matter of seconds by transferring their kinetic energy into below‑deck machinery.

Managing a consolidated technical portfolio of roughly 10,000 components tied to arresting gear on aircraft carriers, the ALRE team worked with Naval Air Systems Command’s PMA‑251, Naval Supply Systems Command and key vendors to break down chronic bottlenecks and emphasize shared responsibility for readiness rather than isolated performance metrics. “We engaged in open, candid discussions about what is working, our barriers, and how to optimize our roles, responsibilities and tools,” said Navy Capt. Mike “Timber” Kline, PMA‑251 program manager. “I am encouraged by the momentum we established and am confident that our ongoing collaboration will allow us to successfully solve complex problems moving forward.”

DLA Weapons Support (Columbus) ALRE Division Chief Eric Forson underscored the workforce scale behind the effort. “Between PMA‑251, DLA and NAVSUP, we have nearly 700 dedicated personnel supporting the ALRE mission,” he said. “The greatest return on investment from these engagements was getting people out of their functional silos to remind them that we are a unified force with the exact same readiness mission.”

A priority at the June summit was fixing planning and forecasting. According to DLA, traditional predictive models were missing the mark, prompting a shift to a unified forecasting approach designed to stage parts ahead of critical failures to keep carriers mission‑ready.

Navy Capt. Jaime Roman, Force Air Systems Officer, N433, Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, framed the changes as part of a broader culture shift. “Mission success also depends on building stronger partnerships, improving our processes, and working as one team,” he said. “Together, we remain focused on delivering the right ALRE supply support at the right time for the warfighter.”

Officials also outlined steps to protect specialized labor, relieve key production chokepoints and streamline testing. The joint team agreed to eliminate duplicative pre‑production First Article Testing on items that already receive 100% production testing, a move aimed at shortening delivery timelines.

“In our day‑to‑day roles, it is easy to focus solely on our individual mission,” said Amanda Porter, ALRE weapons system support manager at DLA Weapons Support (Columbus). “By working collaboratively, we can leverage our collective strengths to find the best resolutions.”

“Getting everyone in the same room realigned our focus,” Forson noted.

Beyond conference rooms, participants visited Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst to see production and training firsthand, including the Prototype and Manufacturing Division, the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, Advanced Arresting Gear and the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Detachment. Forson said the tours offered a valuable operational perspective that ties directly to the $101 million ALRE supply chain his team manages. “Bringing cross‑functional experts out of their silos and onto the manufacturing floor will transform how our workforce collaborates across agency lines to solve complex, high‑stakes supply chain challenges,” he said.