The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. Randall G. Walden, head of the Air Forces Rapid Capabilities Office, where he has directed development of the B-21 bomber and the Advanced Battle Management System, is moving to a new job at the Pentagon to advise the DODs acquisition and sustainment chief, William A. LaPlante. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. Kelly Hammett, former head of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, has assumed the role of director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office . The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO or DAF RCO) is an office in the United States Department of the Air Force tasked with expediting the development of select technological systems. 5. 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Ala. OUSD A&S Leadership - Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and During Waldens 20-year Air Force career as a flight test engineer, he worked at times on classified projects. The Air Force had once projected the first flight of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider would occur in December 2021, . The Secretary of the Air Force activated the office on April 28, 2003. This military aviation article is a stub. Col Jeffrey R. LaFleur, USAF > The Eisenhower School > FacBio 1982 - 1984, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Parks College of St. Louis University, Cahokia, Ill. A blistering, 148-page document by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that Afghan. Other responsibilities include technical integration of Department of Defense classified activities, and the representation of these activities to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Congress and the White House. Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah Alongside the Director, he directs contracting activities executing $6 billion a year for selected study, development and fielding activities involving 40 programs tasked directly by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff. A U.S. Air Force X-37B space plane, encapsulated ahead of a planned May 16, 2020, launch, the sixth mission for the X-37B program. 4. Gen. Dale R. White is the Program Executive Officer for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 11. AWARDS AND HONORS Full Report. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Air Force Commendation Medal Space RCO is a relatively small office filled with people who love what they do in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO or DAF RCO) is an office in the United States Department of the Air Force tasked with expediting the development of select technological systems. The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and deliver capabilities that require specialized expertise. June 2015 - June 2018, Senior Materiel Leader/System Program Director, B-21 Raider Program, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 16. 5. Specifically, the office: Expedites the development and fielding of select Department of Defense combat support and weapon systems, Leverages defense-wide technology development efforts and existing operational capabilities, Provides integration and technical support to other Service or U.S. Government activities, Conducts independent operational and technical assessments of weapon or combat support system capabilities and vulnerabilities, Takes on new challenges to accelerate operationally-focused capabilities. Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate - AFLCMC 13. Bombers Directorate - AF Alongside the director, he directs contracting activities executing $4 billion a year for selected study, development, and fielding activities involving 40 programs tasked directly by the Under Secretary of Defense . EDUCATION 1989 - 1992, Lead Avionics Flight Test Engineer, V-22 Multi-Service Test Team, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. OUSD A&S Office News 2021 June 2003June 2006, Commander, 7th Contracting Squadron, 7th Mission Support Group, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas The Pentagon has named Chris Shank, a former NASA official, as director of the Strategic Capabilities Office, according to a biography posted to the Defense Department's website. It is also supposed to mirror certain efforts at the SDA, which now reports to the Pentagons research and engineering boss but will transfer to the Space Force in the next few years. 1999 - 2002, Chief, Special Studies Division, Air Force Red Team, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. One of its first projects was to deploy significant upgrades to the Integrated Air Defense System, now operational around the National Capital Region, to meet critical counter-terrorism objectives before the January 2005 Presidential Inauguration Day. EDUCATION Tanya M. Skeen > U.S. Department of Defense > Biography Photo: U.S. Air Force/Released. )or https:// means you've safely connected to the .mil website. 2. July 1997June 1998, Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. Staff photo by Mike Tsukamoto. More by Sandra Erwin. CAREER CHRONOLOGY January 1995June 1996, Assistant Chief, Operations Group, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 1992 Master of Business Administration, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville October 1990June 1993, Contracting Officer, F-15 System Program Office, Robins AFB, Ga. Critics argue that defeats the purpose of creating an RCO specifically to handle space projects, echoing larger concerns that the fragmented military space enterprise is simply growing instead of consolidating into something more effective. Space RCO Head: Too Soon For Single Acquisition Shop 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. SDA is pursuing a constellation of potentially thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to handle everything from target tracking to missile warning. Ms. Johnson graduated from the University of Florida in 1995 and received her commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in March 1996. The winners will officially receive the honor in a virtual ceremony on Dec. 15, 2021. February 2019 present, Director, Space Rapid Capabilities Office, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. She has served as an aerodynamic propulsion analyst at the National Air Intelligence Center where she developed new modeling tools for missile propulsion assessments. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. June 2014May 2017, Director of Contracting, Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. Northrop Grumman is testing a new multimode, open-architecture RF sensor called "EMRIS" which it hopes will allow for quick, less-costly, and more adaptable sensor upgrades in a variety of systems. While assigned to the 28th Test Squadron, she was a special projects engineer and program manager for classified electronic warfare and command and control test activities. Responsible for the strategy, management and delivery of Team Tempest, a collaborative programme between Government, UK and international industry to develop technology and skills for the defence aerospace sector. She is responsible for developing, producing, testing, modifying, fielding, and supporting Special Operations Forces (SOF)-unique fixed wing aircraft and sub-systems, equating to over 100 programs and projects worth $1.7 billion in 2017. A Program Executive Officer, or PEO, is one of a few key individuals in the United States military acquisition process. July 1996July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. 2. 12. It will slow us down. July 2015July 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. However, one project will notably stay off the Space RCOs plate: the experimental X-37B spaceplane. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. The Space RCO, which speedily develops cutting-edge technologies at the request of Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Jay Raymond, handles capabilities that go in, from, and to space, with less bureaucracy and more flexibility than typical research programs, Space RCO Director Michael W. Roberts said during a virtual Aug. 13 Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies event. B-21 Director Walden Leaving RCO to Advise LaPlante at Pentagon He is responsible for oversight and support of the Air Force SAP and Classified Contracting portfolio at Headquarters Air Force level valued at greater than $40 billion and senior level advocacy and training for 1,100 military and civilian acquisition professionals. Under Col. Robert Smoker, Task Force 99s new commander, the unit will continue to try to cut through red tape and field new systems quickly. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office | LinkedIn WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats for combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements leveraging streamlined acquisition methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical capabilities. Shank "brings many years of military, government, and commercial industry experience to SCO," the bio states. 2003 Senior Executive Service Seminar, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. August 1997March 1998, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. 1. He has an ability to go out and do proliferated things, using straight off-the-shelf things that commercial [industry] is doing, for the most part. Published Aug. 31, 2020. 3. He is responsible for the development, production, fielding, sustainment and modernization of the Air Force fighter portfolio, which includes the A-10, A-29, F-15, F-16, F-22 and special programs . Ukraine, China, technology, and drug trafficking emerge as top issues in House Intelligence Committee hearing with think tank leaders. EDUCATION 1995 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 1998 Master of Science in Engineering Management, University of Dayton, Dayton OH 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB AL 2007 Air Command and Staff College Non-resident Program 2008 Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington DC 2013 Air War College Non-resident Program 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB AL ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 1993January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. Previously, Mr. Keller served as Associate Executive Director for Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Director of Contracting at the Air Force District of Washington, and as Chief, Contracting Operations Division for the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. Lt. Col. Joseph Fritschen, the X-37B Program Director at the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, confirmed that "the addition of the service module on OTV-6 allowed us to host . Details About X-37B Payload Adapter Revealed After Record-Setting Mission CAREER CHRONOLOGY Background Clockwise from left, Randall G. Walden, director and program executive officer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Michael W. Roberts, director and PEO at the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, and retired USAF Maj. Gen. Larry Stutzriem, director of research at AFA's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, appear in conversation during a Space Power Forum hosted by the think tank on . Clockwise from left, Randall G. Walden, director and program executive officer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Michael W. Roberts, director and PEO at the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, and retired USAF Maj. Gen. Larry Stutzriem, director of research at AFA's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, appear in conversation during a Space Power Forum hosted by the think tank on Aug. 13, 2020. 10. Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2002, serving on the Air Staff as the Director for Information Dominance Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) and Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, prior to his current position. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS March 1996August 1997, Aerodynamic Propulsion Analyst, National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Jun 17 - present, Program Executive Officer, Fixed-Wing, Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB FL MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Two Oak Leaf Cluster Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal DATES OF PROMOTIONS Second Lieutenant Mar 1996 First Lieutenant Mar 1998 Captain Mar 2000 Major Mar 2006 Lieutenant Colonel Apr 2011 Colonel Apr 2017 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) Test and Evaluation, Level II APDP Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering, Level II, APDP. Board members also include the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Units > Space Rapid Capabilities Office - Kirtland Air Force Base CAREER CHRONOLOGY by Sandra Erwin June 25, 2018 January 23, 2023 Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Brown Jr.).The Air Staff is primarily composed of uniformed U.S. Air Force officials who assist the . Melissa A. Johnson, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Director of the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C. Alongside the Director, she directs selected study, development and fielding activities tasked directly by the Under Secretary of Defense . USSF Unveils Space Systems Command's Structure Robertss team could ask the Air Force RCO to test payloads on the spaceplane that would eventually fly on satellites or other spacecraft. Pentagon leaders and cleared members of Congress alike have lauded the B-21 as a well-run program. Mr. Walden retired from active duty in 2002 with more than 20 years of military experience as an acquisition and technical professional. September 2005January 2006, Chief, Theater Contracts Division, Principal Assistant Responsible for ContractingForces, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States. "AFRCO" means the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. (U.S. Air Force graphic) First order of business for Air Force space innovation office: Decide Robert D. Eidsmoe > Kirtland Air Force Base > Display The Air Force and Space RCOs will work together as the X-37B offers more insight into new technologies that could shape future space systems. Project Arc team works to make technical Airmen more operationally Rapid Capabilities Office > United States Space Force > Fact Sheets He is the principle advisor to the Director and senior staff on matters concerning the welfare, effective utilization, training, career progression and organizational performance for a diverse team of acquisition and support personnel. ElyRatner, assistant secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, discussed how China continues to prod the U.S. and challenge stability in region, even as, The entire F-35 fleet is slated to get the retrofit engine maker Pratt & Whitney has identified to mitigate the problem that led to suspended deliveries and flight restrictions for some aircraft for nearly two monthsa move that will affect hundreds of fighters globally. (Current as of September 2019), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. United States Department of the Air Force, "VCSAF Wilson visits B-21, X-37B facilities in Florida", Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office fact sheet, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Air_Force_Rapid_Capabilities_Office&oldid=1063033243, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 December 2021, at 21:16. Pratt & Whitney has developed a fix for F135 engines afflicted with harmonic resonance, which should only take 30 minutes per affected engine to correct, company officials said. . Tanya M. Skeen - Our People - Purdue Engineering PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS 1991 Master of Science, Engineering Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Patuxent River, Md. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. The Air Force plans to field four pods for an early operational capability by the end of FY22 but could acquire up to 10 pods, said Brig. 2017 Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award 14. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Director. August 2011July 2015, Materiel Leader, Strategic Combat Systems, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. NAVSEA Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal Other responsibilities include technical integration of Department of Defense classified activities, and the representation of these activities to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Congress and the White House. Mr. Robertss career spans 24 years in support of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force as both a veteran and acquisition professional. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. Air Force Achievement Medal For the first time the U.S. territory of Tinian, a small island around 100 miles north of the American military hub of Guam, hosted F-22 Raptors. Inherent in the DAF RCOs mission is intent to experiment, within the bounds of statute, to discover and recommend new methods, processes, and techniques for the Air Force, the Space Force, and the Department of Defense to acquire and field capabilities efficiently. AFRL's new lab to accelerate hybrid space architecture - Air Force She assisted the Director in overseeing a $4 billion Air Force test infrastructure and the programming and execution of the Air Force test portfolio with an annual budget of $1.9 billion. July 2010June 2012, Director, Mission Support Team 1, Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. 1. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist's interpretation of the B-21 design. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. Planning for the event began over six months ago with collaboration between the 805th CTS, Secretary of the Air Force's Studies and Analysis team, Headquarters Air Force ABMS Cross-Functional team, Rapid Capabilities Office, Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, 505th Command and Control Wing and industry partners. Center for Rapid Innovation Deputy Director at Air Force Research Laboratory He holds a master non-rated aircrew badge. In his previous position as the Director for Development and Integration, PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, he integrated system requirements and resources for combat systems, associated elements and facilitated the execution of effective systems engineering processes for development, integration and developmental test of Navy Surface Combat System capabilities. The secretive Space Rapid Capabilities Offices workload has taken shape two years after its inception, as the space research and development enterprise changes around it. Colonel Johnson was one of five Lieutenant Colonels chosen from Air War College to be in the inaugural class of Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF) sponsored Blue Horizons Fellowship, conducting research for the CSAF on competitive strategies, capacities, technology investment, and integrating concepts the Air Force should pursue to prevail across key components of the highly contested environments in 2040. ASC21 Video Presentations | Air & Space Forces Association The U.S. Air Force's top secret spaceplane, the Boeing X-37B, landed in Florida early Sunday after 780 daysover 2 years and one monthin orbit around the .