A Gripen has more than 60,000 components that need tracking and managing for replacement.
Defence D arren O livier
GETTING YOUR DIGITAL SYSTEMS
RIGHT
In this era of high maintenance, fuel and labour costs, ever more complex aircraft and weapons systems, and a need to extract more use out of fewer platforms, it makes sense for air forces to invest heavily in technological approaches that maximise efficiency. Yet far too many air forces, especially in Africa, continue to neglect this in favour of traditional approaches to aircraft fleet management, for which they end up paying a high price.
22
FlightCom Magazine
T
HE South African Air Force (SAAF) is better than most of its African counterparts in that it has established an excellent base foundation around two main systems: The Operational Support Information System (OSIS) and the Ground Control and Command System (GCCS), both of which have resulted in large gains in efficiency and availability over the years. However, over the past two decades, the SAAF has somewhat neglected both systems, preferring to maintain them rather than to invest in substantial improvements, further integration and expansion. This column will look at the lessons
