Plant equipment packages: are they a credible deterrent to war?

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if plant equipment packages are a viable resource for industrial surge and mobilization. A plant equipment package is a Department of Defense term used to describe an approved complement of different pieces of controlled industrial plant equipment including special tools, special test equipment, and other plant equipment. These items are put together at a predetermined facility to form a production line to manufacture critical war material. Differences between Army and Navy plant equipment management were identified, and condition assessments of industrial plant equipment were examined through the study of Acme-Gridley lathes in Army plant equipment packages.