Photo By Matthew Jones | NAVSUP WSS Logo read more read more
Sustainment planners at Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) met this week to review the Consolidated Automated Support System’s Electro-Optical 3 (EO3) test bench, which keeps critical targeting equipment on F/A-18 and H-60 aircraft mission-ready. The meeting highlighted long-term teamwork among program offices, industry partners and NAVSUP experts who have supported the EO3 and the warfighter for more than a decade.
The EO3 system supports the Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) weapon systems carried on F/A-18 and H-60 aircraft. Before a missile ever leaves the rail, EO3 verifies the accuracy of the aircraft’s sensors so the weapon reaches its intended target. As one sustainment planner explained, the system’s calibration “makes sure the missile hits the enemy and not a school or hospital.”
A Networked Sustainment Effort
NAVSUP WSS’ Aviation Support Equipment Integrated Weapons Support Team (IWST) has managed EO3 sustainment through a firm-fixed-price, long-term repair contract with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Northrop Grumman. The IWST hosts biweekly teleconferences that bring together Northrop Grumman, PMA-260, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (COMNAVAIRLANT), and other program stakeholders. These routine touch points allow the team to identify supply gaps early, prioritize urgent repairs, and keep forward-deployed squadrons supplied.
“Those calls let us push what matters most to the flight line,” said Kevin F. Clark, NAVSUP WSS Logistics Management Specialist Lead. “If a forward-deployed carrier needs an EO3 unit turned quickly, we can tell the vendor exactly which carcasses to move to the front of the line.”
Solving Carcass Constraints and Obsolescence
Sustainment of the EO3 has not come without obstacles.
“Many EO3 units are carcass constrained older hardware that cannot be newly manufactured because of obsolescence,” said Kevin F. Clark. “Each failed component matters; losing even one can ripple across the fleet.”
Misrouted returns once slowed the repair cycle when units were mistakenly sent to Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) depots instead of directly to the contractor.
The team corrected this by designating EO3 parts as mini-stock point (MSP) items. Now, failed units ship straight from the fleet to Northrop Grumman under the long-term contract, cutting average repair cycle time by weeks,” said Rachel A. Millan, NAVSUP WSS, Logistics Management Specialist. “Direct vendor routing avoids delays and helps keep high-demand items available.”
Another improvement has been proactive forecasting. By tracking calibration due dates for each EO3 unit, the sustainment cell predicts returns before they arrive. This visibility lets the OEM and planners stage repair capacity and parts in advance, according to Clark.
Impact Behind The Hardware
Behind the technical fixes are people deeply committed to readiness. Chris King, a retired Sailor and current type commander representative at COMNAVAIRLANT, is often described as the “heartbeat” of the EO3 sustainment effort. From Norfolk, Virginia, King bridges the gap between the Fleet, the program office, and the OEM advising priorities, validating requisitions, and helping avoid catastrophic delays when spares are scarce.
“He understands what it’s like to be on the other side of the phone waiting for a part,” said Millan. “He responds quickly, keeps the fleet informed, and makes sure forward-deployed squadrons aren’t left without mission-critical gear.”
Readiness You Can See on Deck
The efforts of the NAVSUP WSS planners and mission partners reach the flight line.
“Shore squadrons and carrier air wings report fewer backorders and faster turnaround on EO3 assets since the sustainment process was streamlined,” said Clark. “At annual Operational Readiness Reviews alternating between Norfolk and San Diego, maintainers share lessons learned and feedback directly with the program team. These sessions have highlighted common field mistakes, such as improper circuit card handling, which can now be corrected before equipment ships back for repair.”
More Than Parts
For the NAVSUP WSS sustainment cell, EO3 sustainment is more than hardware.
“It’s not just material; it’s people,” Millan said, reflecting on the Sailors relying on accurate targeting far from home. “Every carcass recovered, every shipping delay solved, and every forecasted calibration keeps the warfighter safe and lethal.”
As the Navy prepares to field the next-generation EO4 variant in coming years, the lessons learned from EO3 early communication, proactive routing, and veteran insight from leaders like Chris King are shaping how future systems will be sustained. It’s quiet work behind the scenes, but its effect is unmistakable when a warfighter presses the trigger and trusts the system to perform exactly as designed.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2025 15:54 |
| Story ID: | 549884 |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAVSUP WSS Sustainment Team keeps EO3 test system mission-ready for the fleet, by alexzander johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
