In times of crisis affecting national security abroad, the U.S. Marine Corps utilizes amphibious ships to project its combat power ashore. An essential component of this warfighting ability is the amassing of a floating organic supply capability that is able to respond efficiently. Such a replenishment point is configured using current squadron specific data analysis. This is vital due to the intrinsic demands of sustaining a deployed aviation combat element (ACE) and the significant burden encountered by the GWOT. The current Aviation Consolidated Allowance List (AVCAL) inspection process should be redesigned to improve the quality and flow of aeronautical supplies to the aviation combat element attached to the Marine expeditionary unit (MEU). Undoubtedly, there is little maneuverable room in today's Navy and Marine Corps to create new billets for a duty that is already undermanned. However, the delay of inspections and, in some instances, duplication of work undercuts the cost saving advantage of having prepositioned supply assets, so implementing even the clearest methods of inspection and quality assurance may not be the answer due to supportability. This inherent flaw in the supportability of the ACE and the unfocused acquisition of aircraft allowances significantly degrades logistical responsiveness and therefore the mission capability of the MEU. Generating ACM requirements and taking into account a detailed analysis of each squadron's usage data would greatly reduce the need for inspectors to waste valuable man-hours inspecting assets not required by the MEU's ACE. Understandably, the difficulty of inspecting parts for serviceability is time consuming and technically challenging, but not complying with this task is an inherent flaw in the sustainability of the ACE, and the time consumed by the ACE while afloat could be detrimental to the security of United States' interests abroad. The fleet must staff a permanent AVCAL inspection team.


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