ADDMAN Precision, Baltimore’s Post

In a remarkable turn of events, PepsiCo briefly possessed the world's sixth-largest naval fleet in 1989. In a peculiar deal, the Russian government sold Pepsi 17 submarines, a frigate, a cruiser, and a destroyer, all in an effort to maintain the flow of Pepsi soda into the country.This strange arrangement was an evidence test to the power of global trade and the lengths companies would go to secure their market share. Pepsi, known primarily for its iconic soft drink, found itself in the unexpected position of owning a substantial naval force, even if only for a fleeting moment.However, the acquired vessels were not destined to serve in Pepsi's armada. Instead, the company immediately sold the entire fleet to a Norwegian company for scrap, effectively converting the naval assets into a financial transaction.This bizarre episode in Pepsi's history serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of global business and the sometimes unconventional measures taken to maintain a competitive edge. While the idea of Pepsi possessing a naval fleet may seem absurd, it underscores the company's willingness to explore unorthodox avenues to achieve its objectives.The story of Pepsi's brief naval ownership has become a fascinating footnote in the annals of corporate history, an evidence to the unexpected twists and turns that can arise in the pursuit of commercial success. #military #defense #defence #aerospace #aviation #aircraft #aircrafts #airplane #airplanes #aviationlovers #militaryaviation #militaryaircraft #fighterjet #engineering #technology #militarytechnology #defensetechnology #defenseinnovation #defenseindustry #airforce #pespi #russia #norway

Culture is key at GE Aerospace.

Beauty

I was at the Australian Defence Magazine Congress yesterday exploring opportunities around AUKUS, innovation and Naval Shipbuilding. While there is a buzz around the Enhanced Lethality Surface Combat Fleet I also came away from the conference curious about the opportunities presented through AUKUS arrangements and the expanding GWEO enterprise. It is clear that progress is being made, and that these complicated systems require considered action to unlock the full potential. Common to each of these programs I think is a perception that things are moving slowly to get down to implementation. Large organisations take a long time to change course, but I suspect there is also a chance for more transparent and proactive communication with industry as a key partner in these endeavours. I see significant opportunity for Australian industry to contribute to an allied industrial base. 📸 A panel on AUKUS Pillar 2: Jointly Developing Advanced Capabilities

Interesting insights from Timothy Lihou … worth a read:

Morale is key to any organization.

Excellent presentation from Robert Fookes on the US Air Force Material Command's journey in Digital Materiel Management (DMM). If I had to guess what this Digital Engineering conference will be called in 2 years' time, I reckon DMM is a pretty safe bet. Looking forward to reading the associated white paper. #integratedlogisticsupport #ils #integratedproductsupport #ips #logisticsupportanalysis #lsa #productsupportanalysis #psa #weaponsystemsustainment #sustainment #supportengineering #digitaljourney

In military aviation, no matter how advanced a jet like the F-22 is in air-to-air combat, success still relies heavily on teamwork and collaboration. Sure, the F-22 has its strengths, but missions require a variety of aircraft working together, each playing its specific role. It’s never just one jet or one person doing everything on their own. You might have the best tool for one part of the job, but without the support of others, you won’t get very far. Success comes from everyone knowing their role and working together to achieve a bigger goal.

My first encounter with the true demands of teamwork was as a naval officer. I learned that for our team to succeed, each of us had to take ownership of our responsibilities and ensure nothing fell through the cracks. When everyone in a team takes ownership of their roles and strives to meet deadlines, the team works together wonderfully, and a culture of responsibility and performance is fostered, without toxic competitiveness. The lessons I learned in the navy have become my guiding principles in business: 1. Define responsibilities clearly, leaving no room for misinterpretation. 2. Ensure each task has a single, accountable individual. 3. Delegate responsibilities only to those with the necessary skills to complete them effectively.

This is truly a success story worth telling. The process from beginning to end occurred just the way we would all have hoped. It started with OPNAV N98 commissioning a study called RATPAC (led and staffed by 2 Circle training SME's) that was directed to determine the correct capacity and capability of all training media needed to support effective Air Warfare training. The study relied upon objective, measured data collected by NAVAIR PMA-298's Training Analysis Project (TAP). One of the most significant findings from the study was the actual skill acquisition and skill decay curves that an individual/squadron/CVW experiences during pre-deployment training. From this analysis, it was determined that due to a lack of "proficiency maintenance" between major training exercises and most critically, while on deployment, the proficiency of our Naval aircrew steadily declined beginning with the end of the last training exercise prior to deployment. These results were briefed to the key stakeholders at OPNAV and Admiral Andrew "Bucket" Loiselle, USN, Ret., acted decisively. Bucket provided the resources and direction to NAVAIR PMA-205 to build the capability that the Fleet required in order maintain a high level of proficiency when it mattered, deployment. As noted by Girl, the execution of this plan was astonishingly quick: less than 3 years from the day I briefed Bucket until the day the Fleet received the capability. Well done to the Government / Military / Industry team that made it all happen!