Back to top

air force rapid capabilities office director

Mr. Walden graduated from Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Virginia, in 1982. 7. Aug 07 Jan 09, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington DC 10. Background The United States Air Force ( USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. 1984 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Parks College of St. Louis University, Cahokia, Ill. This military aviation article is a stub. 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters After spending a record-breaking 780 days on orbit, the Boeing system is receiving the National Aeronautic Associations prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for furthering aerospace technology. 2008 Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington, D.C. AWARDS AND HONORS Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, during a recent interview with Air . June 2001May 2003, Acquisition Staff Officer, Contracting Division, Directorate of Logistics and Maintenance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. The Directorate directs the modernization and sustainment of the Air Force's 150+ aircraft bomber fleet (B-1, B-2, B-52) and organizes, trains and equips the B-21 program in support of Air Force Global Strike Command and the United States Air Force. The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. Mission Iraq Campaign Medal June 2017July 2020, Program Executive Officer, Fixed Wing, Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. 1st. The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, Space Vehicles Directorate held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its newest space facility, the Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development, or RAPID, laboratory, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, April 12, 2022, with Col. Eric Felt, director, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate, as the presiding official. 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 . After working on Capitol Hill, Colonel Johnson served as the Director, Non-Standard Aircraft Systems at the Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing Aircraft, United States Special Operations Research, Development, and Acquisition Center (SORDAC), Headquarters, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB. Their hard work began to pay off as more people volunteered. Aerial Achievement Medal Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. The Space RCO sees itself as a fast-moving counterpart to the SMC, which handles more traditional military satellites, radars, and other space-related equipment from design to retirement. Everybody has their job to do and they do it., Rolls-Royce has started testing the F130 engine that will replace the B-52's aged TF33, the company announced. 2003 Senior Executive Service Seminar, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Over time, the Department of Defense plans to turn, 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. January 2009August 2011, Director, Non-Standard Aircraft Systems, Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing Aircraft, Center for Special Operations Acquisitions and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. The Air Force had once projected the first flight of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider would occur in December 2021, . That is the central question, said Randy Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. 12. . Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. Current programs under the purview of the organization include the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, a reusable, unmanned space test platform for the U.S. Space Force, and the B-21 Raider, a long-range strike bomber for the U.S. Air Force. In December 2018, its mission was expanded and its name changed to the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. LaPlante at the time described the choice of putting a major weapon system such as the B-21 under the RCO, rather than in a traditional program office, as a way to use lean management techniques with minimal Pentagon bureaucracy while taking advantage of the RCOs ability to conduct projects in secret. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, located in Washington, D.C., reports directly to a Board of Directors chaired by the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. 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. A blistering, 148-page document by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that Afghan. 2. Former AFRL program executive Kelly Hammett on June 6, 2022, took over as director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. 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. Mike Roberts, Director Space Rapid Capabilities Office (DOD) . August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah Randall G. Walden, head of the Air Force's 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 DOD's acquisition and sustainment chief, William A. LaPlante. 11. 4. Published Aug. 31, 2020. 2014 - present, Director and Program Executive Officer, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Current DAF RCO work includes the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, a reusable, unmanned space test platform for the United States Space Force, and the B-21 Raider, a long-range strike bomber for the United States Air Force. (Current as of March 2023), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Military Instructor. 13. Meritorious Service Medal 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. AWARDS AND HONORS July 2017September 2018, Senior Acquisition Consultant, WBB Inc., Reston, Va. 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. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. 2017 Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award EDUCATION Current DAF RCO work includes the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, a reusable, unmanned space test platform for the United States Space Force, and the B-21 Raider, a long-range strike bomber for the United States Air Force. A Program Executive Officer may be responsible for a specific program (e.g., the Joint Strike Fighter), or for an entire portfolio of similar programs (e.g., the Air Force PEO for Space, who is responsible for all acquisition programs at the Air Force Space Command Space and . MICHAEL W. ROBERTS. The RCO also says it developed the integrated air defense system installed around the National Capital Region after the 9/11 attacks. 1. 1. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. Ms. Johnson is the lead for all government program office efforts with Industry and is responsible for program/Air Staff interactions with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff and Congress. 10. He was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force the same year and served as a flight test engineer with Air Force Material Command at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland, and Nellis AFB, Nevada. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. The multimode sensor can perform radar, communications, and electronic warfare functions simultaneously. The Air Staff is one of the Department of the Air Force's two statutorily designated headquarters staffs: the other staff is the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, also known as the Secretariat.The Air Staff is headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (currently General Charles Q. Bronze Star Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal About Us . Mr. Walden retired from active duty in 2002 with more than 20 years of military experience as an acquisition and technical professional. 7,260 followers. Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. SDA Taps Raytheon for Seven More Missile-Tracking Satellites, Photos: F-22s Deploy to Tinian for First Time as Part of ACE Exercise, In Message to Force, Austin Touts Once-in-a-Generation Investments, Heres What USAFs Science Board Is Studying Now, Were Weird: New Commander Details Life Inside Task Force 99, Think Tank Leaders Recommend Top Focus Areas for House Intelligence Committee, Pratt & Whitneys New Fix for F-35 Engine Issues Will Allow Deliveries to Resume, Cutting-Edge Drones Headed to Ukraine in Latest US Aid, Northrop Grumman Touts New Multimode Sensor As Quicker, Cheaper Upgrade, Air Force CIO Knausenberger Will Depart in June. CAREER CHRONOLOGY Shank "brings many years of military, government, and commercial industry experience to SCO," the bio states. 2009 - 2013, Director, Information Dominance Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. The past 15 years, his career focus has been on acquisition, combat and weapon system engineering, design, testing, fielding and sustainment. Marie A. Mak. 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 . The Space Rapid Capabilities Office procures commercial and classified technologies for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Clipboard (Opens in new window). 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. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB . A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States. June 2000June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. We're weird, he said. 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. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. 12. 9. We plan on keeping that. SOF aviation capabilities include AC-130 and MC-130 variants, MQ-1C, MQ-9, CV-22, U-28, MC-12, C-145, C-146, other remotely piloted vehicles and precision guided munitions. Colonel Melissa A. Johnson is the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Fixed Wing Programs, HQ US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill AFB, FL. The 2022 National Defense Strategy and Future Force Structure 10. 2. 16. 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. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 5. Aug 16 May 17, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB UT 14. Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (28 pages) Accessible PDF (33 pages) GAO Contacts. He insisted on an open architecture for the B-21, and while USAF secured a fixed-price contract for the initial aircraft, the development program was a cost-plus arrangement that rewarded Northrop Grumman for hitting milestones early. She also served as the Program Executive Officer Chief Engineer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office where her responsibilities included technical . Staff photo by Mike Tsukamoto. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. In summer 2021, the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, headquartered in Washington D.C., stood up the ABMS Program Executive Office Integration Team at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., to bring together acquisition directorate personnel to leverage their developed capabilities for use in the ABMS. Michael W. Roberts, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director and Program Executive Officer (PEO) for the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. 6. Those satellites will join the already-planned 28 satellites in the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer of SDAs Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. March 1998September 2000, Special Projects Program Manager, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. Navy Achievement Medal with two gold stars The Defense Acquisition Workforce is comprised of nearly 186,000 civilian and military professionals from the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as defense agencies and field activities. said the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, . Walden said the Air Force RCO will keep the Orbital Test Vehicle in its own portfolio but will continue to collaborate with the Space RCO. In 2021, Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, said that a first flight in mid-2022 was a "good bet". CROWS looks to expand its partnerships. The RCO was activated by the secretary of the Air Force on April 28, 2003, and is currently overseeing the development of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider in partnership with Northrop Grumman, and the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle in partnership with NASA.[1][2]. Kendall's spokesman said the SAF/SQ office will focus on "the acquisition of space systems and technical capabilities." The Air Force previously had a space policy office led by Shawn Barnes . Rapid Capabilities Office 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. 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. The Department of the Air Force's Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems, or CROWS, is working to expand best practices in the field of cyber security by potentially expanding its Cyber Focus Teams to Space Force Program Executive Offices, as well as updating the DAF System Security Engineering Guidebook. LaPlante, formerly the Air Forces acquisition executive, put Walden and the RCO in charge of B-21 development in 2015, when the Air Force selected Northrop Grumman to build what was then called the Long-Range Strike Bomber. 1991 Master of Science, Engineering Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Patuxent River, Md. 5. The service could not immediately say whether a successor at the RCO had been determined. Pentagon leaders and cleared members of Congress alike have lauded the B-21 as a well-run program. We're weird, he said. Delivering space capabilities quickly and effectively requires a strong core culture and mindset. . 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. (Current as of September 2019), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 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. Rolls-Royce has started testing the F130 engine that will replace the B-52's aged TF33, the company announced. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. 11. 9. Background 2014 - present, Director and Program Executive Officer, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. 15. Colonel Johnson received her commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in March 1996. Were working at it as a rapid acquisition program to build some algorithms to help with ground processing, Roberts said. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. July 2010June 2012, Director, Mission Support Team 1, Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. The conflict in Ukraine is increasingly emerging as a test bed for new American unmanned aerial systems (UAS). 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. 1 min read. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina EDUCATION 2007 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. June 2012June 2014, Chief, Contracting Operations Division, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. Military aviation and technology are ever-changing, from the prevalence of drones to a shift to jets for special mission surveillance, once the province of propeller aircraft. Jan 02 - Jun 03, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 6. The SSC will work directly with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups like the Rapid Capabilities Office. The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. He became head of the RCO in 2014. CAREER CHRONOLOGY Located in Washington, D.C., the DAF RCO reports directly to a Board . 20. Most of its portfolio is classified, but ostensibly complements work underway at the Space Forces more traditional Space and Missile Systems Center and the commercial industry-focused Space Development Agency. 17. The winners will officially receive the honor in a virtual ceremony on Dec. 15, 2021. 2002 - 2003, Technical Director, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 21. He served in acquisition command as the . 297 followers . Rapid Capabilities Office 1997 - 1998, Classified Flight Test Squadron Commander, Nellis AFB, Nev. MELBOURNE, Fla (AFNS) --. "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . . June 2009 October 2010, DDG 1000 Combat Systems TD, NAVSEA05H, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Ive talked to Gen. Raymond about that multiple times, and the Secretary of the Air Force, Walden said. She has served as an aerodynamic propulsion analyst at the National Air Intelligence Center where she developed new modeling tools for missile propulsion assessments. Get top stories, military space news and more delivered to your inbox. October 2010 August 2013, Aegis System Engineering / Baseline Development / Strategic Planning Principle Assistant Program Manager, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. D. Edward Ed Keller, Jr., a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director of Contracting for the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. June 1993January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. If we move under the Space Systems Command, we probably should cease to exist, Roberts said. Once you get a feel for the space system you want to go build, then you can start populating with the right folks and get the right contracting officers and program managers.. 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. June 2018 - October 2019, Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management . Jan 09 Aug 11, Director, Non-Standard Aircraft Systems, Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing Aircraft, Center for Special Operations Acquisitions and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB FL 11. D. Edward Keller Jr., a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director of Contracting for the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. As the SpRCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees Space-based research, development and acquisition . Director. 1996 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence He is the senior adviser to the Service Acquisition Executive on acquisition strategy, execution and policy and procedures for classified and SAP contracting. Walden had also predicted the first article would fly this summer, but Air Force officials have since walked back that prediction. 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. 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. May 1989October 1990, Contract Negotiator, Operational Contracting Division, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. 2004 Bachelors of Science, Engineering Technology, Grantham University, Lenexa, Kan. CAREER CHRONOLOGY 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.

According To Bible Sun Revolves Around Earth, Accidentally Blended Bay Leaf In Soup, Leamington Tip Book A Slot, Did The Beatles Sing Ruby Tuesday, Articles A