During his tours as a flight test engineer, Mr. Walden participated in the development, ground and flight-testing of numerous aerospace weapon systems. 14. Her final assignment to cap off a 24-year active-duty career was as the Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing Programs, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command where she was responsible for more than 100 special operation forces acquisition programs. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist's interpretation of the B-21 design. (U.S. Air Force graphic) Throughout her time on active duty, Ms. Johnson served in a variety of assignments and leadership roles ranging from an aerodynamic propulsion analyst to a materiel leader for a highly classified strategic combat system directed by the Deputy Secretary of Defense. 7. Aerial Achievement Medal "We have to go fast," Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. Unit Commendation Medal with three gold stars He served in acquisition command as the . Iraq Campaign Medal Colonel LaFleur has served in a variety of acquisition, flight test and staff assignments. 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. Certified Acquisition Professional, Level III, Contracting 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. Colonel Jeffrey R. LaFleur is an instructor at The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. He served in a variety of roles, leading contracting operations in support of space and aircraft systems acquisition, installation and specialized support, and contingency operations in three different theaters. director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, during a recent interview with Air . Two F130s housed in a twin-engine nacelle are mounted on a test stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss., where they will perform crosswind and engine control tests, Rolls program director Scott Ames said.. 9. The deployment, which began March 1, is part of an exercise dubbed Agile Reaper 23-1. The office responds to Combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements. 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 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. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIAs National Defense August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah June 2012June 2014, Chief, Contracting Operations Division, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency handles similar initiatives that can transition to the Space RCO as well. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. Those satellites will join the already-planned 28 satellites in the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer of SDAs Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. August 2013 March 2015, ZUMWALT Deputy Major Program Manager, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . July 1996July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. 2009 Masters of Science, Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. June 2003June 2006, Commander, 7th Contracting Squadron, 7th Mission Support Group, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas SDA is pursuing a constellation of potentially thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to handle everything from target tracking to missile warning. 2. June 2006June 2008, Operational Manager, Theater Effects Based Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (TEBOACTD), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va. 11. 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. 1 min read. Were working at it as a rapid acquisition program to build some algorithms to help with ground processing, Roberts said. Rolls-Royce has started testing the F130 engine that will replace the B-52's aged TF33, the company announced. Aug 07 Jan 09, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington DC 10. I dont see that changing. 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. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. Center for Rapid Innovation Deputy Director at Air Force Research Laboratory Rapid Capabilities Office 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 . 4. In a statement June 13, Hammett said: Im really excited about the new opportunity and the trust being placed in me to lead the Space RCO team as they deliver new capabilities to the U.S. Space Force that are desperately needed to fill important warfighter gaps., Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. 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. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 5. 12. -- In January, the Department of the Air Force's Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems, or CROWS, worked to expand its existing use of Cyber Focus Teams. The SSC will work directly with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups like the Rapid Capabilities Office. Discover the best publication that space professionals throughout the world turn to first. 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. 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. 1997 - 1998, Classified Flight Test Squadron Commander, Nellis AFB, Nev. June 2005July 2007, Chief, Offensive Capabilities Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. said the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, . Two F130s housed in a twin-engine nacelle are mounted on a test stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss., where they will perform crosswind and engine control tests, Rolls program director Scott Ames said.. September 2018June 2019, Associate Executive Director, Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. Jan 02 - Jun 03, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 6. 1997 Advanced Program Manager Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities. 8. The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. July 2017September 2018, Senior Acquisition Consultant, WBB Inc., Reston, Va. 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. 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. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. January 2004 May 2005, DDG 1000 IV&V Engineer, Northrup Grumman IT, Dahlgren, Va. 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. 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]. The office procures space technologies and manages classified programs for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. Gen. Jeffery Valenzia, who leads the Air Force's ABMS . She has served as an aerodynamic propulsion analyst at the National Air Intelligence Center where she developed new modeling tools for missile propulsion assessments. Society of Flight Test Engineers 20. Program Manager, AFRL Transformational Capabilities Office Dayton, Ohio, United States. The Air Forces current service acquisition executive (SAE), Andrew Hunter, revealed in June that the B-21 is actually under budget. The past 15 years, his career focus has been on acquisition, combat and weapon system engineering, design, testing, fielding and sustainment. 7,260 followers. However, one project will notably stay off the Space RCOs plate: the experimental X-37B spaceplane. July 1997June 1998, Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. October 2010 August 2013, Aegis System Engineering / Baseline Development / Strategic Planning Principle Assistant Program Manager, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 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. June 1993January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. The director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, created in 2018 to quickly develop prototypes of satellites and other urgently needed military technology, said the Space Force may not be . Located in Washington, D.C., the DAF RCO reports directly to a Board . 12. In his PEO capacity, he is responsible for the development and delivery of multi-billion dollar Acquisition Category-1 equivalent programs that provide operationally dominate Space Capabilities that strategically enhance the Nations warfighting capabilities and dominance in the Space domain. Shank "brings many years of military, government, and commercial industry experience to SCO," the bio states. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. 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. June 2000June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. Back then, a second B-21 Raider bomber was under . The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB . MICHAEL W. ROBERTS. Ukraine, China, technology, and drug trafficking emerge as top issues in House Intelligence Committee hearing with think tank leaders. 1. 5. 11. Space RCO is a relatively small office filled with people who love what they do in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Get top stories, military space news and more delivered to your inbox. 2009 - 2013, Director, Information Dominance Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . During Waldens 20-year Air Force career as a flight test engineer, he worked at times on classified projects. Read more at National Defense Magazine. Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) A space solar power program that fell under the former Operationally Responsive Space office is transitioning to the Air Force Research Laboratory instead. Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters July 2009July 2010, Project Lead, Integrated Financial Operations, Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk Va. Of them, 40 Airmen voluntarily left the service and 14 officers retired, according to Undersecretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones at a House Armed Services Committee hearing Feb. 28. 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 . 9. EDUCATION Defense Acquisition Corps "Nuclear modernization is a department priority . Director of Contracting, DAF Rapid Capabilities Office and Air Force Special Access Programs (SES) United States Air Force Jun 2019 - Present 3 years 9 months 10. In December 2018, its mission was expanded and its name changed to the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. The Space RCO appears to have settled on a slate of initiatives that will keep it occupied. Their hard work began to pay off as more people volunteered. Official websites use .mil . 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. 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. The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. 5. 12. In November 2020, the Air Force tapped the Rapid Capabilities Office to manage ABMS procurement and create the effort's acquisition strategy. 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. He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. Less than 200 personnel assigned to the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office rapidly develop capabilities to outpace and counter the increasing threats of adversaries. 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. 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. Marie A. Mak. LaPlante was determined to write a good contract for the B-21 that could adapt to a changing threat, and the fact that the award handily survived a protest from the losing Lockheed Martin-Boeing team could be called one of LaPlantes signature achievements while he was the Air Force SAE. 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 . 7. 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. 2004 Bachelors of Science, Engineering Technology, Grantham University, Lenexa, Kan. 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. 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. 11. 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 3. Michael W. Roberts, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director and Program Executive Officer for The Space Rapid Capabilities Office, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. June 1998May 2000, Chief, National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Contracting Branch, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. Since neither Russia nor Ukraines air force has been able to achieve air superiority, both sides have turned to drones to augment their capabilities. July 2008July 2009, Commander, Kabul Regional Contracting Center, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan October 2000January 2002, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M. March 1996August 1997, Aerodynamic Propulsion Analyst, National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio After leaving MacDill AFB, Colonel Johnson was the Materiel Leader and System Program Director for a highly classified $8B+ DEPSECDEF-directed strategic combat system development, production, and operations and sustainment. 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. 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. Mar 98 - Sep 00, Special Projects Program Manager, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 4. 19. The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. The multimode sensor can perform radar, communications, and electronic warfare functions simultaneously. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring, and fielding critical combat capabilities. 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. 2006 Masters of Science, Software Engineering, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, Va. 3. Located in Washington, D.C., the DAF RCO reports directly to a Board of Directors chaired by the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. 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. 4. Copyright 2023. National Defense Service Medal Executive Director, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, U.S. Department of Defense: 2017-2018: Director and Program Executive Officer, Army Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics: 2014-2017: Deputy Director, Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force: 2009-2014 6. July 2015July 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 18. Deliveries of the engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, resumed Feb. 18 after nearly a two-month hiatus. June 2001May 2003, Acquisition Staff Officer, Contracting Division, Directorate of Logistics and Maintenance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. Mr. Roberts was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2017. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office Director Randy Walden said the ABMS would connect weapons systems, platforms and command systems in a centralized network and enhance the service's enterprise . As a. January 2017 February 2019, Director, Development and Integration PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Specifically, the office: Organization Test and Evaluation, Level II APDP June 15, 2022. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. Colonel Johnson also served at the Air Force Research Laboratorys Directed Energy Directorate as the Engineering Test Director and High Power Microwave (HPM) Applications Program Manager. Robertss team could ask the Air Force RCO to test payloads on the spaceplane that would eventually fly on satellites or other spacecraft. 7. We're weird, he said. 2007 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. The conflict in Ukraine is increasingly emerging as a test bed for new American unmanned aerial systems (UAS). CFTs look to "bake-in" cyber resiliency into new weapon systems and mitigate vulnerabilities in fielded systems. 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. Background 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. October 1990June 1993, Contracting Officer, F-15 System Program Office, Robins AFB, Ga. CROWS looks to expand its partnerships. (Current as of March 2023), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 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.