Navy depot maintenance activities are manned primarily by civilians, and are known as naval aviation depots (NADEPs). Some military personnel are usually assigned to the NADEPs to help perform the intermediate and organizational maintenance work connected with the depot facility.

By reading this section, you can see that the three aircraft maintenance levels provide an orderly separation of the various maintenance tasks. The task and equipment complexity, the space requirements, the skill levels of assigned personnel, and the scope of support responsibility are the basis for the separation.

MAINTENANCE TYPES

There are two types of aircraft maintenance performed within the Naval Establishment. They are rework and upkeep.

Rework may be performed on any aircraft equipment or support equipment. It is performed by industrial activities assigned the mission, task, or functional responsibility of providing maintenance program support. Rework is performed by military and civilian personnel and managed by Commander, Naval Air Systems Command.

Upkeep is performed on any aircraft equipment or support equipment. It is performed by military activities that are assigned aircraft or equipment, or assigned the mission, task, or functional responsibility of providing direct support to such activities. Upkeep is performed by military/contractor personnel, and is managed by the aircraft controlling custodians.

The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) sponsors and directs the NAMP. The NAMP is administered through the operational chain of command. Material and technical support are provided by the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) and the cognizant systems commands. Some activities may be assigned intermediate maintenance responsibility for an entire logistic area, if requested by the cognizant controlling custodian. Specific activities designated to perform intermediate maintenance are authorized to perform higher level maintenance on systems and equipment unique to the assigned mission. Certain organizational maintenance activities are authorized to perform selective functions in partial intermediate support of their own operations.

Shore Stations

Navy shore activities assigned intermediate- level maintenance responsibilities have an AIMD to perform assigned maintenance. Those shore activities with assigned aircraft have an operations maintenance division (OMD) within the operations department to perform organizational maintenance on assigned aircraft and transient aircraft.

Naval air reserve units (NARUS) are responsible for performing both intermediate and organizational maintenance on their assigned aircraft; however, the supporting activity (station) is responsible for logistic support. Naval air reserve squadrons are responsible for organizational maintenance on their assigned aircraft while on active duty or assigned to a fleet unit. During regularly scheduled drill periods, maintenance is performed according to the training requirements.

Ships

The multi-purpose aircraft carrier (CV), nuclear powered multi-purpose aircraft carrier (CVN), amphibious assault ship - helicopter (LPH), and amphibious assault ship - multi- purpose (LHA) type of ships are responsible for performing organizational and intermediate maintenance on assigned aircraft. They also provide organizational and/or intermediate material, facilities, and support equipment needed by the embarked air wing, squadrons, and units.

Squadrons

Squadrons and units are responsible for performing organizational maintenance on assigned aircraft. While shore based, designated squadron maintenance personnel are temporarily assigned to the AIMD of the supporting station for training and augmentation of the support effort. When afloat, designated squadron maintenance personnel are assigned, as required, to the AIMD of the supporting ship.

Specific squadrons and units, regardless of location, may be required to perform intermediate maintenance functions on systems and equipments unique to their assigned aeronautical equipment and/or mission. Squadrons and units are provided material, facilities, and support equipment by the supporting ship or station; and selected quantities of readily transportable material and support equipment are provided as organizational property.