Gestão do ciclo de vida de sistemas de defesa: aplicações e benefícios para a prontidão das aeronaves empregadas no Programa Antártico Brasileiro, e as perspectivas e oportunidades para a Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

Among the Principles of War, Readiness is the Armed Forces' ability to be ready and equipped with the essential means, to be employed against any threat, in a conflict situation. For this, there is a need to adopt an efficient management methodology, in order to acquire these means, and keep them with the maximum possible availability, and with a cost that can be borne by the operator, during the respective life cycles. In this context, the Defense Systems Life Cycle Management is introduced, with which the institution conducts, in an optimized and sustainable way, the management of its systems, from concept to retirement. One of the problems that affect readiness is precisely the low availability of aircraft resources, a problem that this work proposes to study, based on the aircraft used in the Brazilian Antarctic Program, and taking advantage of the opportune moment for aircraft replacement UH-13 by UH-17 aircraft. First, the main concepts related to this management are presented and analyzed, such as Life Cycle Cost and Integrated Logistic Support, as well as the phases of the systems life cycle. Second, it describes how Life Cycle Management is being applied to the Navy Program Management Directorate, and the Navy Aeronautics Directorate. Subsequently, the problems that affected the availability of the UH-13 aircraft are identified, and the improvements incorporated in the UH-17 aircraft, over the corresponding life cycles. Based on this information, it is possible to reach the proposal of the work, where the possible applications of the Defense Systems Life Cycle Management are listed, and their respective benefits for the readiness of the studied aircraft, among which are: application of the modernization process; and the use of approaches such as CLS and PBL, for the logistical support contracted for the operation and support phases. Finally, in the conclusion, the prospects and opportunities for the Brazilian Navy are pointed out, in relation to the use of this management, and the need for an update of the relevant rules, and / or the elaboration of an exclusive rule on the subject, which guide and standardize its application within the Force.