Line-replaceable unit

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Line-replaceable unit" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A line-replaceable unit (LRU^[1]), lower line-replaceable unit (LLRU),^{[citation needed]} line-replaceable component (LRC), or line-replaceable item (LRI)^[2] is a modular component of an airplane,^[3] ship or spacecraft^[4] (or any other manufactured device) that is designed to be replaced quickly at an operating location (1st line). The different lines (distances) are essential for logistics planning and operation. An LRU is usually a sealed unit such as a radio or other auxiliary equipment. LRUs are typically assigned logistics control numbers (LCNs) or work unit codes (WUCs) to manage logistics operations.

LRUs can improve maintenance operations, because they can be stocked and replaced quickly from distributed nearby on-site inventories (sometimes mobile storage), restoring the mobile systems to service, while the failed (unserviceable) LRU is undergoing complicated repair and overhaul actions in other support locations (lines). Because of their modularity, LRUs also can contribute reducing system costs and increase quality, by centralizing development across different models of vehicles.^[5]

LRUs are similar in nature to shop-replaceable units (SRUs), but rather than being component functions, represent complete functional units.