USA uses concurrent engineering to determine the feasibility of

• Proposed hardware designs and modifications
• Anticipated cost and investment recovery
• Schedule, based on available resources, vendor and supplier commitments, and vehicle processing availability

The practice of implementing concurrent engineering for new hardware and modifications provides integrated, end-to-end product coordination, from the initial design planning to the final implementation. USA leverages this design process to collaborate on requirements with manufacturing capabilities, assembly constraints, vehicle processing, ground operations planning, and maintenance requirements to provide excellent end products and services. USA project managers facilitate the selection of the various options, and then use the concurrent engineering teams to develop the best overall design. The concurrent engineering process also aids design development when customers have nonnegotiable cost targets and/or schedule constraints. Concurrent engineering minimizes competing resources and processes, process disconnects and duplications, and nonvalue added activities. USA evaluates new designs over the full hardware lifecycle. Our "Best Practice" ensures that as new processes are developed, all stakeholders have been consulted to create a superior process.