Naval Systems
Empowering Naval Warfighters With Superior Analytics

The marriage of minds and skills often results in innovative strides that solve critical problems in the enterprise, defense, or business arenas. One such alliance in the defense sector—between Dan Seifert, a Marine pilot and engineer, and Ed Rule, a Navy supply chain expert— has reimagined aircraft readiness or operational availability.

Having previously worked under various Naval aircraft programs, the duo acquired a strong understanding of the quintessential problems faced by a naval warfighter. With that same zeal of patriotism, they delved into analyzing various components and procedures that ensure aircraft readiness or operational availability and laid the foundation of NSI. Unfortunately, Dan succumbed to cancer in 2014, but with the addition of Dave Davison, former Navy pilot and chief engineer to multiple programs, and Jeff Score, a former Marine Corps Data Analyst with over 10 years of IT systems development expertise, the company’s initial vision moved quickly to fruition. Recognizing that the naval tech frontier was evolving from long-lead integrated systems development to rapid COTS integration centered on Big Data analytics and AI, the trio of Rule, Davison, and Score leveraged an extensive network of contacts and a record of rapid, high-quality delivery to build a business segment around technology-enabled data analytics. When Jeff suddenly passed, it was Chris Klubertanz, Jeff’s former deputy who took over as the Director of Technology and Analytics Group (TAG). With time, Klubertanz’s Data Science competencies combined with Rule’s vision and Davison’s engineering expertise to produce a robust analytical approach to improving aircraft readiness through advanced decision support and systematically-targeted upgrades.

Likewise, Klubertanz, Rule and Davison quickly realized the significance of advanced analytics in efficiently maintaining warplanes and helping warfighters win. Subsequently, the trio aspired to measure the sustained performance of aircraft and relevant equipment, backed by a single source of data study, and highlight the need to measure sustainment performance through a single source of data. Whether logistics support management services, financial analysis, systems engineering, cybersecurity, or the manned and unmanned aircraft airworthiness, this trio’s partnership ensured that their clients were armed with all necessary skill sets. Concurrently, they guaranteed the highest levels of quality in enterprise tools.

Armed with expertise in Tableau, Python, and other groundbreaking technologies, NSI has been driven by the ambition to optimize and streamline various naval aircraft programs’ sustainability. Since then, NSI has provided data-based Logistics and Supply Chain Management services and Airborne EW/AEA & Spectrum Warfare Systems Support. Alongside, they also offer Systems and Sustaining Engineering (platform & commodity) services; Security Assistance Support for NAVAIR, NAVSUP/ NIPO, DASA DE&C (USA); Total Life Cycle Support Analysis, and Cost and Financial Analysis as well. Through their extensive lines of services, the company has established an efficient and far-reaching business operation with a total strength of some 300 employees that support and promote the mutually-reinforcing, multi-domain aspect of a Navy/Marine Corps operating jointly with other U.S. forces and allies around the world, to protect and defend American interests and ideals.

We deliver disruptive technology and analytic solutions to radically increase sustainment agility, affordability, and speed across dod and nae

Aviation Analytics Redefined

“We deliver disruptive technology and analytic solutions to radically increase sustainment agility, affordability, and speed across DoD and NAE,” says Ed Rule, President, and CEO of NSI. The company has gained an indelible reputation in supporting Navy digital transformation programs, Marine Corps programs, and other U.S. National Security programs, and International Cooperative/FMS programs. However, the underlying factors that prompted Naval systems to gain the trust of government agencies consistently over the years are its strategic teaming and COTS technology applications in five critical areas of sustainment: First, the company enables the Reliability Control Board (RCB) through the tailored development of commercial digital tools, including Tableau, Qlik, R, and Python, to present the collation of data from disparate NAVSEA, NAVAIR, DLA, NAVSUP WSS, Fleet and other sources to facilitate rapid, impactful readiness decision-making. In addition, the company has developed interactive Sustainment Program Baselines (SPB) dashboards and other processes associated with data collection and process reengineering.

Another key proponent of Naval Systems’ value proposition is its Integrated Supply Chain Management (ISCM) tool. The company has established a trailblazing success in combining data from NAVSUP, DLA and COMFRC into a robust system to identify production, repair, and material constraints. But that’s hardly the end of the line. The company even provides Aviation Product Lifecycle Management (AvPLM) by implementing the Siemens Teamcenter COTS PLM product within the NAVAIR Sustainment Group, facilitating the movement of multiple sustainment systems onto a Digital Backbone through the LOG-IT / ALE IPT. Finally, NSI is leading the way in Digitized Maintenance Planning and Management by offering aviation integrated maintenance planning systems in the form of Affordable Cloud-based SaaS O/I-level Maintenance Management platforms, Maintainer/Aircrew/Pilot Proficiency tracking systems, Support Equipment/Calibration, RCM+ analysis, and a Critical Chain Workflow Management Pilot.

With Boots on the Flightline

NSI’s first-rate analytics solutions are not the only factor that make the company a forerunner in the naval tech space. Its flexible and equally agile business approach, attuned to the regional business climate and ground realities, also gives them a competitive edge over their peers. For instance, the process of adapting team capabilities to new specialized tasking within approved scope under standard government military contracts can take months, if not years. In stark contrast, NSI’s project management team is always upfront in adding subcontractors as and when needed; As an upshot of this network of subcontractors that NSI reaches out to, depending on the urgency of deliverables, the company can very quickly turn around prototypes in a brief period and stay ahead of deadlines.

At the same time, the company’s unique workforce also helps clients steer ahead of the competition. The perfect mix of millennials and veterans—all of whom are well versed with the latest industry developments—helps the company bring a fresh perspective to engagements every time they take up a new project. As a result, this distinct blend of the two radically different talent pools induces a productive atmosphere within the company. Besides, their products are always backed by former military personnel from all branches, giving NSI an upper hand in delivering the finest quality products.

For a company with an incredible track record for providing its uniformed warriors the support they need to sustain, fight and win against the nation’s adversaries, it is hardly surprising that NSI has bagged several success stories in its tenure. Rule recounts an instance when the Naval aviation department was handling an intensive process of managing tool control on a warplane, where, depending on the maintenance action, one had to check specific tool kits when tasked with a repair action. The accounting of all those inspections was done with pencil and logbooks, resulting in inaccurate and time intensive tool control management that cost tens of millions of dollars to the Naval aviation department. “As soon as we stepped into the picture, we automated the whole accounting process and maintained a database for all the tools that helped streamline naval installations and saved the Naval aviation department millions of dollars,” asserts Klubertanz.

"As soon as we stepped into the picture, we automated the whole accounting process and maintained a database for all the tools that helped streamline naval installations and saved the naval aviation department millions of dollars"

Rising to the Occasion

In the wake of the pandemic, when various organizations started becoming less bureaucratic and were pushing the boundaries of virtualization, it was NSI that established an alternative vehicle to a traditional DoD contract using other transactional authority. This provided government clients near-immediate access to company capabilities. With its top-grade analytics services built on remote technologies, the company helped facilitate the prototyping and piloting of new tools and projects that accelerated defense operations and efficacy.

Envisioning the near future, Rule wants to keep up with the ever-growing demand for NSI’s services without compromising quality. On that note, he wants to focus on effective recruiting and professional development, with the firm belief that it is the right employee that makes a difference with their valuable contributions. The company’s foremost mission for the near future is to ensure the organic growth and continually facilitating a healthy and diverse workplace for maximum productivity and technological innovation. “We’re a professional services company at heart that believes in taking advantage of the new technologies, allowing the department of defense to be more agile and efficient in its delivery of capabilities to the warfighter,” concludes Rule.