Data Mining the multiple, similar DoD systems 

               As I mentioned in my previous blog, the government’s budget is facing tough times. The DoD’s bottom line is getting cut left and right. There just isn’t the same amount of money to go around as the past dozen years. Throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan the needs of the war fighters were first on the priority list. Within the different services, there became unique circumstances to which they needed new products and platforms to perform their mission. As these needs arose, each service did their best to provide their soldiers with a solution to the problems at hand. However, there was not much collaboration between services during this stressful and time critical period. Because, very little collaboration and information sharing took place during the wars, there were very similar systems built within the services of DoD, for an example see the UAV.

With the multiple platforms that are similar, there exists many duplications of inventory for parts, knowledge gained from experience, and duplicate technical data packages. It costs so much money to bring these products thru the life cycle, with the R&D efforts and testing for these systems they become very expensive. One of the most expensive things to consider is the tech data package for the system. The tech data package includes all of the piece part technical drawings and assembly drawings. Without these drawings, the government cannot reproduce these items and the government is essentially handcuffed to the particular contractor that designed the system. Given, there are multiple systems with sometimes thousands of piece parts and hardware components (screws, washers, springs, etc.) the data mining tools and techniques learned in this class could be used to find similar parts, hardware components, electrical cables, assembly tools, and even the best processes for maintenance actions. Using Rapid Miner or a HaDoop algorithm would help identify which items have similar dimensions, special plating and notes for assembly, similar vendors and other useful parameters to help eliminate waste. Lessons learned are invaluable when it comes to the Operations and Maintenance phase of a contract. For example, if the Army has a UAV that has been developed and maintained for multiple years, they could help the Air Force with a like system by suggesting longer lasting component upgrades, preventative maintenance  processes and procedures to decrease corrective (after failure has occurred which usually is more costly) maintenance actions.  Since some of these systems have so much in common, duplicate programs would allow for some to be shut down to save money, since there would be another like system already built for another service.

As we face these financial crunches, we must do more with less. How do we even know what we have without mining this data? Unfortunately, the bureaucratic nature of the government will present great hurdles to overcome. Each service looks to protect their specific piece of the pie.  Collaborating ideas, lessons learned, and design considerations are vital to the success of a leaner DoD.