Rear Adm. John F. Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT), spoke at the Navy League 2021 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, the largest maritime exposition in the United States, Aug 3.
Meier, during a panel conversation, discussed how the U.S. Navy is increasing the average of fully mission-capable aircraft to improve lethality for naval aviation. Furthermore, he explained how the Navy is optimizing its maintenance and supply chains to run more effectively.
"Readiness optimization remains a top priority," said Meier. "We've been working diligently on perfecting the Maintenance Operations Center, which serves as a synchronizing function across Naval Aviation. The MOC represents a LASER focus on the output, which in this case is mission capable aircraft, and the coordination and bias for action at its finest. It’s hard to argue with the results as we’ve seen a 50 percent increase in mission capable aircraft and we continue to expand this to all naval aircraft including our more recent expansion into the V-22 series with full USMC participation.”
The purpose of Meier speaking at the exposition — alongside many other flag officers, generals, and notable seafaring specialists — was to offer a knowledgeable voice to help inform both the public and industry partners on the significance that sea services possess regarding the nation’s defensive power, economic prosperity, and overall well-being.
Speaking on a similar topic with Meier, were Rear Adm. Edward Anderson, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Deputy Commander for Undersea Warfare Rear Adm. Peter Stamatopoulos, Commander, U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command/Chief of Supply Corps; and Mr. Anthony Mathis, President & CEO, GE Edison Works — who all focused on Naval Sustainment System Supply (NSS-Supply), which is an initiative to more effectively and affordably generate the readiness for the Navy's fleet.
NSS-Supply, enacted with the support of the U.S. Navy, is planned to embrace the industry's strongest tried-and-true practices, and tailor them for specific Navy needs. In practice, the system will proactively manage demand, streamline organic repair, reduce maintenance turnaround times, and shape the industrial base while prioritizing and balancing costs.
The Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, founded in 1965, brings the U.S. defense industrial base, private-sector U.S. companies and key military decision-makers from the sea services together for an annual event that is professional, informative, and forward-thinking.