End Item Details

An end item is a manufactured product, system, or equipment that has been fully assembled and is ready for its intended use. You don't need additional work done on it; all you need to do is add ammunition, fuel, or an energy source for it to operate.

In the aerospace and defense industries, end items are critical combat operations. The U.S. armed forces classify end items as Class VII of their supply. It may not be a significant percentage of total inventory and supplies, but it makes up a high percentage of costs. The defense industry commonly refers to end items as Major End Items (MEI).

Although less commonly known, an end item also refers to a symbol used in aviation travel usually represented by a hash or plus key An airline reservation system will use this symbol to join several instruction lines. For example, you can separate individual surnames with a "#" in the name field entry.

Examples Of End Item

According to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), examples of an end item are aircraft, ships, tanks, mobile machine shops, and other critical vehicles and machines. Aircraft only require fuel to fly, which is its intended use. A gun or launcher is also an end item as they only need ammunition to operate. Some parachute systems are also end items since they require no additional components for use.

More specific examples of Major End Items in the military are five-ton trucks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS). The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, commonly known as the Humvee, is also a military end item.

An additional example of using an end item symbol in the airline reservation system is entering multiple phone field items. You can also use this symbol to combine a phone field with other entries, such as a ticketing field entry or end transaction.

Significance Of End Item

For the different army supply classes, the Major End Item class is significant because it is critical in combat operations. Soldiers need guns, launchers, and other weaponry to fight. They also need aircraft, tanks, and other vehicles for transportation and support.

Due to their high importance, the commander and staff of the Theater Army Material Management Command (TAMMC) control the distribution of end items during wartime. The TAMMC has all supply requisitions routed through them. Depending on the type of conflict or war, the management, distribution, and use of end items will differ, and it is crucial to do so effectively.

End Item vs. End Product

End products generally combine to create an end item. An end item is a final combination of components, parts, end products, or other materials.

Similarly, end products are also the final article or result of an activity or process. It can be the final product of a production process, such as yarn or ammunition. It can also be a report that is the end product of a survey.

However, in contrast to an end item, an end product may not always be in a condition ready for its intended use. Instead, it could require combining with other end products or materials to become an end item.