The Impact of Counterfeit Parts on Weapon Systems

The weapon systems that are designed, developed, and deployed by the US military are precise amalgamations of sophisticated technologies. The subsystems that collectively comprise a weapon system are often reliant on their components to function exactly as designed for the system as a whole to achieve a strategic advantage on the battlefield. Substitution of any of these components for a part that has different origins than the original part requires thorough testing and evaluation to ensure that the subsystem, and ultimately the system, will perform as precisely or better than expected. Infrequently, defective or deficient parts are unintentionally incorporated into a subsystem, which can lead to the accelerated maintenance requirement of the system, and thereby decrease availability and readiness. However , the DoD spends $94 billion on more than 4 million different parts.[1] With the vast supplier base, the DoD is encountering potentially damaging, criminal acts of rogue suppliers knowingly providing deficient or incorrect parts. The opportunities for a supplier to misrepresent the identity or pedigree of a part are significant and could have a substantial impact on the readiness and capabilities of our weapon systems. From microprocessors that must execute billions of instructions per second in order to operate sophisticated avionics systems, to GPS oscillators that enable the function of critical GPS-guided systems, to fasteners that maintain the structural integrity of an aircraft, critical parts are being knowingly misrepresented. More examples of counterfeit electronic components include capacitors, integrated circuits, amplifiers, con-nectors, and resistors. Many mechanical components, including nuts, bolts, and rivets, are relatively simple parts that can be cheaply replicated with the incorrect or substandard material or heat treatment. Pumps, actuators, and batteries are also being misrepresented and can fail before their life expectancy or under less than extreme environmental loads. Aging weapon systems can exacerbate the problem of counterfeit parts. Some weapon systems are half a century old. Obtaining replacement parts from the OEM is not possible, and thus maintenance personnel must seek alternative sources, which is when counter-feiters may take advantage of the opportunity. The feature article in this issue of the WSTIAC Quarterly presents a recent GAO report that reviews the problem of counterfeit parts. The potential for counterfeit parts to impact the readiness and performance of weapon systems is a significant concern. The DoD community including the supporting industry must be diligent in ensuring that all components and subsystems perform as designed or better so …