The United States has the most powerful and formidable Navy in the world-a military department conceived of hard work and effective utilization of vast quantities of men and material, backed by high standards of tradition and loyalty, and bound together by a strong and efficient organization.

America's geographical position makes a powerful Navy requisite to its national security. With two large oceans bounding its shores and the large land mass to be circumnavigated in deploying ships from one ocean to the other, a "Two-ocean Navy" is essential from a tactical standpoint. Also, from a tactical standpoint, the rapid development of aviation within the twentieth century has done as much to change naval tactics and material as the advent of gunpowder into medieval Europe did to alter the armor and dress of the feudal knight.

The evolution of the aircraft carrier as a capital ship made aviation a fundamental component of the Navy.

In order to wield the Navy Air Arm with the devastating effectiveness exemplified in World War II, many functions must be accomplished on a scale never before

dreamed of in any military unit. In peacetime, the organization must be so planned that its expansion to wartime strength can be effected with a minimum of time and effort.

Whether in war or peace, the naval aeronautic organization must perform the following five basic functions. 1. Design and research for improvement of aircraft, equipment, material, and facilities required to support aircraft and equipment.

2. Maintenance and repair for aircraft and facilities. 3. Training of personnel to fly, maintain, supply, and otherwise operate the organization.

4. Operations against the enemy in wartime, and the formulation of proposed operations for defense in peacetime.

5. Supply-including procurement, distribution, receiving, identifying, storing, issuing, and accounting for aircraft, equipment, and material.

The successful executions of these functions enables the Naval Aeronautic Organization to accomplish its mission. After considering an analysis of the Integrated Aeronautic Program (chapter 3), which laid the foundation for defining the responsibilities of several of the components of the organization, we will study the functions and duties of each of the major components of the Naval Aeronautic Organization (chapter 4). Thus we shall see how and by whom the five major functions are performed.

Basically, Aviation Supply personnel are most concerned with the fifth function outlined above. However, each component of this vast organization must know, at least in a general sense, of the jobs performed by other divisions.

Such knowledge is mandatory for successful teamwork. Aviation Supply personnel are vital members of this team, and as such must work in close harmony with other units. A maintenance crew, for example, cannot repair a plane without the proper parts or material. The team must work so that a flow of parts is maintained from

the manufacturer to the "mech"-who may be doing the repair work on the other side of the world. A correct conception of Supply's relationship to the entire organization is essential to the performance of this major function.

At one time it may have been considered a hobby for Supply personnel to gain knowledge outside the particular field of supply procedures, receiving, storing, issuing, and accounting for stores. There was no apparent necessity for such personnel to understand the nature of the requisitioning activity or to know the ultimate use of the material issued.

Times have changed. In no other branch is it so important for all personnel to have material and operational information as in the field of Aviation Supply. The most striking example of this is the development of joint Operation and Repair (O & R) Supply Planning Boards at major air stations. In order for the planning board to properly function, supply personnel must know and appreciate O & R's function.

Another example is provided in the case of Aviation Supply at an advanced base or on board a carrier. Supply must know what model planes are aboard and how many must be supported. The nature of the support to be rendered must also be known. Will it be only line maintenance? Will it be a minor repair or a major overhaul?

These questions will be discussed in chapter 5, and it will be seen that the answers are part of the basis for determination of stock requirements.

AVIATION SUPPLY AND GENERAL SUPPLY

There are several basic points of difference between Aviation Supply and General Supply, and these differences may be attributed to the fact that aviation material is unique in many respects.

Through constant research in design, and due to the

fact that aviation is yet a young industry with considerable room for improvement, constant technological changes and improvements characterize all types of aviation material. Strong competition exists among the nations of the world in the development of aircraft in order to gain military advantage. This trend is a healthy one from a standpoint of progress, and it accounts for the tremendous strides made in the development of the modern jet bomber armed with rocket missiles.

The consequent rapid changes in material, however, tend to complicate the job of Aviation Supply personnel. A multitude of new items are constantly being added to the Supply system, resulting in obsoleteness of many items in current inventories of aviation activities. Correspondingly, technological improvements such as Aircraft Service Changes-add complications to the job of maintenance.

Since Supply must have such Change Material, as it is called, available, close liaison is essential between supply and maintenance personnel. Here again a typical example of teamwork is exemplified.

Since aviation spare parts are generally quite fragile, the very nature of the material interposes unique problems of stowage and handling. Aircraft control surface, wings, propellers, precision engine and instrument items having low tolerances in their moving parts-all require special consideration to prevent damage and deterioration from climatic conditions, shock, and breakage. A host of other factors could as well render the material unfit for issue when needed.

As a corollary to its fragile nature and the effort expended in developing it from an engineering standpoint, aviation material is generally quite expensive. Exacting specifications demand delicate tooling and manufacture from just the exact types of raw materials specified. These characteristics restrict the number of producers of aircraft parts, which increases the problems involved in procurement.

Moreover, such characteristics of aviation material present significant problems in the training of personnel to man the organization. Not only must pilots and crewmen be trained to fly the aircraft, but technicians and specialists on the ground must be trained to maintain and repair the material necessary to keep the aircraft operating at maximum efficiency. Supply personnel must be taught how to identify, store, and handle the material to keep the parts moving to the maintenance crews.