Identifying and managing Air Force sustainment supply chain risks

In recent years, the Air Force and its suppliers have adopted a variety of practices that have improved efficiency and effectiveness but have also made supply chains more brittle and increased risks of supply disruption. This document seeks to help the Air Force develop a strategy for managing supply chain risks during sustainment. In it, the authors review literature on supply chain risk management (SCRM), examine current Air Force practices for and guidance on SCRM, and describe emerging commercial best practices for SCRM. They find that many supply chain risks are not considered directly within the Air Force sustainment community and that, while others are acknowledged, there is little or no strategy in place to mitigate them. They recommend that the Air Force establish an enterprise-level organization to proactively manage supply chain risks.