Improving HEMTT Reliability and Sustainment
A real Army readiness problem became a systems engineering capstone.
³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø Systems Engineering Senior Project Spotlight
SE 6510 Senior Capstone
Students examined not only what was failing, but how equipment, training, environment, maintenance, data, and supply support interacted.
442
Categorized maintenance records
80%
Pump-system share after excluding "Other"
10,000
Simulated 10-day missions
4.27
Mean modeled breakdowns*
*Monte Carlo model: two HEMTTs, 10-day FARP mission, immediate repair assumed (MTBR = 0).
The Challenge
Two operational questions framed the investigation.
Reliability
Why do HEMTT tankers break down so frequently?
Maintainability
Why do repairs take so long?
From Field Compliant to Engineering Insight
The project moved from one operational concern to structured systems analysis.
1
Field Problem
2
Stakeholder Needs
3
Models + Data
4
Root-cause Analysis
5
Recommendations
Systems Engineering in Action
The capstone combined field knowledge, modeling, data analysis, and reliability methods.
Stakeholder Engagement
Interviews, surveys, Gemba observations.
Requirements + ConOps
Customer needs, requirements, use scenarios.
MBSE + SysML - Style Modeling
Use cases, system views, decomposition.
RCCA + Fault Analysis
Fishbone and fault-tree approaches.
Python Data Analysis
Filtered and categorized maintenance data.
Weibull Analysis
Reliability and wear-out over mission time.
Monte Carlo Simulation
Uncertainty in failures and repair behavior.
V&V Planning
Future testing and validation activities.
What Did The Analysis Uncover?
Hardware performance was only one part of the readiness problem.
Equipment
Pump systems dominated classified faults after “Other” was removed; transmission issues were also a focus.
Training
Limited HEMTT-specific mechanic training and no tanker-specific modules in the 91B training pipeline.
Environment
Aviation-fuel exposure, corrosion concerns, and year-round outdoor storage were investigated.
Maintenance Progress
Direct corrective maintenance effort was much shorter than the full end-to-end repair cycle.
Parts & Supply
Logistics delay and parts sourcing drove downtime; mechanics estimated DLA accounted for at least 80% of total MLDT.
Stakeholders
Operators, mechanics, leaders, and support organizations influenced priorities, communication, and readiness.
Solve The System, Not Just The Symptom
Recurring equipment failure can involve training, maintenance processes, environmental exposure, logistics, and organizational interfaces.
Connections to ³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø Systems Engineering Courses
The capstone brings together concepts taught across the current ³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø Systems Engineering Curriculum.
SE 6010 - Foundations
Systems thinking, lifecycle perspective, stakeholder needs.
SE 6370 - Requirements
Customer needs, requirements, traceability.
SE 6380 - MBSE & SysML
Use cases, architecture, structural and functional modeling.
SE 6260 - Reliability & Risk
Reliability, maintainability, fault analysis, Weibull concepts.
SE 6320 - Simulation & Optimization
Monte Carlo simulation and quantitative analysis.
SE 6020 - Project / Program Management
WBS, Gantt schedule, milestones, reviews
SE 6360 - System Logistics
Maintenance, supportability, logistics delay, sustainment.
Connect It To The Profession & Career Readiness
COMMON REFERENCES
- INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, 5th Edition
- Friedenthal, Moore & Steiner, A Practical Guide to SysML
-
DAU Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability Guidebook
INCOSE VISION 2035
This project reflects:
- Model-based practice
- Digital Transformation
- Transdisciplinary Systems thinking
- Life-cycle Integration
Keys to Capstone Success & How to Choose Your Project
Could this become your senior project?
Look for a recurring real-world problem where technical and organizational factors interact. If people are repeatedly working around the same problem, there may be a systems engineering capstone waiting to be framed.
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY | Systems Engineering Senior Project Spotlight