Five years ago, U.S. Navy leaders faced a massive strategic challenge: to get more of its fighter aircraft ready for takeoff.
Lessons from the U.S. Navy on Building a Culture of Learning
In 2018, the secretary of defense directed the Navy to increase the number of available F/A-18s from 260 to 341 jets within one year. Here’s how they did it.
November 28, 2023
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Ignacio D. Perez/Released
Summary.
The U.S. Navy recently needed to transform the way it approached the mission readiness of its F/A-18 Strike Fighter aircraft, which had a history of having too many aircraft down for maintenance. Faced with a goal of having at least 341 jets ready to fly (up from 260) in one year, the Navy embarked on a program that included baseline data collection, better understanding of the obstacles to mission readiness, and clearer accountability and ownership. This program allowed the Navy to exceed its goals — and provides lessons that any organization undergoing a transformation can learn from.