A Study on Improvement Directions for the Development Process to Enhance Weapon System Reliability

Purpose: This study aims to propose improvement measures for the development process of South Korea's defense weapon systems to enhance their reliability. It analyzes the current reliability management system and identifies areas for enhancement by benchmarking it against advanced international practices in both civil industries and foreign military organizations.<br/>Methods: The study establishes an analytical framework based on the IEC 60300 standard to systematically assess the current reliability management activities of South Korea's military. It then investigates advanced reliability management processes in leading industries and foreign military organizations. By comparatively analyzing these cases against South Korea's current system, the study identifies opportunities for improvement and proposes tailored enhancement strategies for the nation's specific defense context.<br/>Results: The analysis reveals that while South Korea possesses a foundational framework for reliability management, several key areas require improvement. Critical challenges identified include a lack of objectivity in reliability goal-setting, insufficient independence in Verification and Validation (V&V) processes, and difficulties in sharing reliability technology and data across organizations. These issues create data silos that impede integrated lifecycle management and limit the effectiveness of comprehensive reliability testing.<br/>Conclusion: This study recommends reinforcing the V&V process with greater independence to ensure objectivity. It also suggests advancing specialized reliability applications, such as the Accelerated Stress Test and Reliability Prediction (ASRP). Furthermore, establishing an integrated reliability information management system is critical to break down data silos. Ultimately, fostering closer collaboration among military, civilian, and academic sectors is essential for building a robust reliability ecosystem.