CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Letterkenny Army Depot leaders welcomed Army Materiel Command leadership for a visit and capabilities tour highlighting the depot’s modernization efforts June 6.
Col. Donald Santillo, commander, LEAD, and Todd Black, deputy to the commander, LEAD, provided Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, AMC deputy commanding general and AMC acting commander, with an organizational update and depot modernization plan brief. Leadership emphasized the depot’s efforts to mitigate supply chain obsolescence, build flexible and adaptable production facilities, and preserve and develop artisan skillsets.
Subject matter experts briefed Mohan on several capabilities throughout the manufacturing and fabrication facility, including robotic welding, cold spray, generators, Antenna Mast Groups, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Patriot radar, Avenger, Sentinel A3, Navy Sponson and cable and harness.
“Our recapitalization program creates more readiness and better buying power for the Army,” said Dale McClanahan, chief, Future Systems Integration Office, LEAD. “Specifically with our Patriot radar recapitalization program, we are saving the Army close to 90% of the acquisition cost.”
McClanahan provided Mohan with historical examples of LEAD’s contributions to enhancing depot-level sustainment, including reverse engineering, production of approved original equipment manufacturer replacement parts, reducing a Patriot battalion’s reset time by over 100 days and Avenger overhaul program. McClanahan emphasized the level of specialized skill required to drive these efficiencies.
“It takes over 36 months for an artisan to become proficient in some areas of Patriot maintenance,” McClanahan remarked. “These skilled artisans are a commodity that the Organic Industrial Base needs to preserve. They are what gives Letterkenny the ability to surge.”
Subject matter experts at the Directorate of Missile and Aerospace Readiness briefed Mohan on the programs executed at the depot’s missile maintenance facility, including Patriot Advanced Capability-2 certified missile round disassembly and assembly, forward deployment capabilities, foreign military sales and the Heliborne Laser Fire and Forget, also known as Hellfire, missile and Joint Air to Ground Missile, JAGM, programs.
Mohan took the time to recognize several outstanding employees at the conclusion of his tour of LEAD.
“Patriot has proven to be a dependable missile system, and its continuous performance is due to sustained depot maintenance,” Mohan said. “You have a long history of excellence across a wide variety of systems and are to be commended for your efforts.”
Following the recognition, Mohan and the rest of the AMC leadership team proceeded to the Letterkenny Munitions Center.
Lt. Col. Kimberly Deaton, commander, LEMC, and Brad Gardner, deputy to the commander, LEMC, provided the commanding officer a tour of the Multiple Launch Rocket System Family of Munitions Facility, located within the over 16,000 acres LEMC currently occupies on Letterkenny.
Subject matter experts provided an overview of the one-stop shop for missile maintenance services facility, including modification, repair, electronics, testing, X-ray, missile harness/launcher repair and demilitarization.
Throughout the tour, LEMC subject matter experts discussed the transportation of munitions by air, rail, ground and sea; support to the other branches of service; use of Air National Guard partners in support functions; and data management, artificial intelligence and its use in the workforce, and effectiveness of the OIB.
At the conclusion of the LEMC tour, Mohan recognized seven outstanding employees for their work and contributions.
“What you do to support our men and women downrange is so vitally important,” Mohan said. “I cannot stress enough how critical you are to overall mission success. Thank you, seriously, for everything you do, day in and day out.”
Letterkenny Army Depot is the Army’s premier professional organic maintenance facility that provides overhaul, repair and modifications for tactical missile air defense and space systems, electric power generation equipment and various military vehicles, support systems and protection programs. Letterkenny Army Depot, established in 1942, is a government-owned and operated industrial installation located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
For more information about LEAD, visit https://www.letterkenny.army.mil/.
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Date Taken: | 06.12.2024 |
Date Posted: | 06.12.2024 10:56 |
Story ID: | 473742 |
Location: | CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
Web Views: | 515 |
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