OVERVIEW

Supportability. A prediction or measure of the characteristics of an item which facilitates the ability to support and sustain its mission capability within a predefined environment and usage profile.

The supportability characteristics of a system are expressed in terms of goals, objectives, thresholds, and constraints. These must ultimately be verifiable in the final design solution. Supportability analysis provides the methodology. There are six types of activities performed by supportability engineering, listed in Fig. 6.1, which achieve this. These activities must be performed in the order listed to realize the total benefit of supportability analysis.

Supportability engineering performs various interrelated analyses throughout the life of a system. These analyses commence as an integral part of the systems engineering process during the earliest activities of system acquisition. They must be a continuing focus throughout the acquisition process. As the design matures, the focus shifts to determination of physical support requirements. Finally, supportability engineering utilizes in-service experience to identify requirements and opportunities for design upgrades and improvements that will enhance supportability.

Supportability engineering performs a series of analyses that combine system design characteristics, system use, support infrastructure, and support resources into a single optimized solution that achieves system performance requirements while at the same time minimizes total cost...