Turning analytics into action to improve aircraft readiness through industry partnerships

An expert in supply and demand planning at Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support in Ogden, Utah, has received a top DLA honor for work that broadened the military’s supplier base and reduced single points of failure in critical parts.

Eric Johnson, a demand planner with the Ogden Centralized Operations Division, earned the “Call to Action – DLA Director’s Strategic Goals” award for expanding partnerships across the defense industrial base. The recognition was announced in a message to the workforce by DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly, who wrote, “These award winners competed against many other superb nominees. Their efforts show true dedication to our Agency’s mission to drive and sustain Warfighter readiness by delivering unmatched global support as the nation’s Logistics Combat Support Agency. I urge DLA leaders to recognize these teams and individuals for their successful efforts and encourage all to lean forward into next quarter as you strive to go above and beyond.”

Johnson’s effort aligns with the DLA Director’s Strategic Plan focus on “Partnerships,” which stresses strengthening existing relationships while bringing in new, innovative suppliers. That approach targets a longstanding vulnerability: when only a handful of companies can make a critical component, the entire supply chain is exposed to disruptions that can sideline aircraft and vehicles.

He led a review to pinpoint hard-to-source parts in the Weapons Support portfolio that relied on limited vendors and took part in a rapid improvement effort to understand why more items were leaving the Industrial Prime Vendor program. “I was involved in several high-visibility projects at the same time, which ultimately led to this partnership recognition,” Johnson explained. “The most prominent project was a rapid improvement event, where I was tasked with determining the root cause behind the rising volume of parts being removed from the Industrial Prime Vendor program. Utilizing demand planning analytics, I forecasted potential operational disruptions caused by a significant decrease in requisition visibility from Lockheed Martin.”

Beyond analysis, Johnson conducted direct outreach to industry, connecting DLA’s requirements with supplier capabilities. The result was a larger pool of qualified vendors for key components, increased competition on price, and built-in redundancy so alternate suppliers can step in if one falters.

The changes are already felt on the shop floor, from maintenance teams at Hill Air Force Base getting replacement flight components faster to Army depots securing specialized parts for vehicle overhauls, helping keep essential systems available for operations. “It is highly rewarding to know that my analytical work and reporting resolved critical issues, directly improving the readiness of our aircraft depot repair operations,” Johnson said.

Agency leaders have framed the initiative as a template for others across DLA to elevate routine tasks into strategic outcomes in a fast-changing security environment. Johnson’s advice to colleagues: “Do not be deterred by the status quo,” he said. “Tradition must not serve as a barrier to progress. Begin by using your existing process knowledge to gather baseline metrics, then present your findings with professional confidence to demonstrate the value of your proposal.”