Lt Gen Tom Owen

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ASC Technology Challenges and Opportunities
Air Force Materiel Command

• Lt Gen Tom Owen
• ASC/CC
• 3 Sep 09

Integrity ? Service ? Excellence
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Overview

• Strategic Direction
• Technology Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Maintaining Technological Advantage
• Tech Transition Valley of Death
• Sustainment Manufacturing
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

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Strategic Direction

• The Air Force must prevail in today's and
  tomorrows war as part of a joint, coalition
  team
• In a fiscally constrained environment
• In a world of rapidly changing, globally
  available technologies
• With tightly integrated capabilities
• Need to leverage technologies and focus
  investments to maximize warfighter capability

IMPERATIVE WE MUST THINK SYSTEMS ENGINEERING,
NOT POINT SOLUTIONS. WE MUST THINK
ENTERPRISE, NOT STOVEPIPE.
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Strategic Direction Dynamics Challenges of
Technology Environment
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Overview

• Strategic Direction
• Technology Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Maintaining Technological Advantage
• Tech Transition Valley of Death
• Sustainment Manufacturing
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

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Technology NeedsTechnology Continuum
WHEN Now 0-6 yrs (FYDP) 7-12 (2 FYDPs) 13 Sci-Fi
WHAT Urgent Near Mid Far Vision
WHO Warfighting Community Program Offices, Current Prime with AFRL HAF/A5, MAJCOMs, Materiel Cmd XRs, w/Pgms Lab AFRL w/COCOM, MAJCOM, AF/A5, Mat'l Cmd XRs Scientific Research Communities
WHY "Win Today's Fight" - Readiness, Safety Current Needs - "Now" problems - Compliance - Approved KPPs - Cost or Sust Challenges Future Needs - MCL/CONOPs/ CRRA - MAJCOM Strat Plans - Dev Planning "Future Opportunities" - FLTCs - Beyond CRRA - DP "Invest to Modernize" - Research, Game-changers - Anticipate future needs
HOW JUONs - ATC - IRAD SBIR - CBA - ATC - DP efforts - CP, DP - ST
- FLTCs
- PEO-TEO
- PEO-TEO
- Sustainment Tech
DEPENDING ON TIMEFRAME . . . THE FOCUS AND THE
LEAD CHANGES
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Technology NeedsFocused Long Term Challenges
(FLTCs)
EIGHT GAME-CHANGING CAPABILITIES
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Technology NeedsPEO-TEO Tier 1
2007-2008 New 2009-2010
Improved Crew Armor Sense and Avoid (SAA) for UAS
Oxygen Sensor in Fuel Tank Wide Area Airborne Sensor (WAAS)
Advanced EO/IR Sensor Capabilities New or Improved Combat ID Techniques
Future Datalink for Advanced Targeting Pods New or Improved Emitter, Geo-Location Techniques
Heat Load Management Electronic Protection
Tactical Navigation and Adverse Weather Operational Capability MAF Defensive Situation Awareness and Airborne Networking
Capability to Detect and Avoid Wire Strikes Large Aircraft RF Countermeasures
Increase AC Wiring Bandwidth Throughput Information Filtering, Attention Directing, Predictive Human-System Interface Displays
Lightweight Night Imaging
LO Maintainability
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Technology NeedsSustainment

• Non-Destructive Inspection Technologies
• Manufacturing Technologies
• Coatings Technologies
• Corrosion Control Technologies
• Composite Technologies
• Continuous Condition Monitoring
• Maintenance Acceleration/Increased Density
• Improved Reliability
• Improved Agile Combat Support
• Energy Transformation
• Reduced Environmental Impact

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Overview

• Strategic Direction
• Technology Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Maintaining Technological Advantage
• Tech Transition Valley of Death
• Sustainment Manufacturing
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

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Maintaining Tech Advantage

• Air Force must
• Field new technology rapidly
• Maintain the technological edge
• Share solutions across the enterprise
• Leverage the best technology available
• Rapidly transition technology into new systems
• Refresh technology to maintain advantages
• Protect leading-edge research and technology

TECH TRANSITION IS AN AIR FORCE LEVEL ISSUE
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Maintaining Tech AdvantageFrom the Past to Where
Were Headed
"Point-to-point Solutions
Result in poor communication
'TO BE' Tenets
JCIDS
PPBE
DAS
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Academia
ATC
Primes
ATP
HAF/SAF Community
Joint Partners
PEO- TEO
AFRL
AF
STP
ST Community
Operational Community
DP
TTO
DP
Services Academia Industry . . .
COCOMs
SBIR
Materiel Community
Industry
PM/SM
IRAD
CBA
Plan
Acq
Sustain
Primes
Depots
FLTCs

MAJCOM
Transition

• Stood-up because something" was missing
• Some great bi-lateral relationships
• Pocket best practices
• Ad hoc, chaotic

• Linked DoD decision processes
• Partnerships established
• Leveraging cross-cutters
• Affordable solutions

• Success dependent on individuals' heroics
• Lack of cross-flow of information
• Inefficient ineffective
• Decisions made in isolation

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Overview

• Strategic Direction
• Technology Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Maintaining Technological Advantage
• Tech Transition Valley of Death
• Sustainment Manufacturing
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

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Technology TransitionValley of Death

• If sufficient RD funding, we have a robust
  process through Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
  6
• Transitioning from TRL 6 to actual acquisition
  (Valley of Death) takes planning and foresight
• Budget for development
• Budget for acquisition
• Plan for program management
• Stakeholder participation and ownership
• Current solutions are focused and specific
• Funding may come from multiple sources

CURRENT PROCESS DEMANDS HEROIC EFFORTS TO
TRANSITION TECHNOLOGY
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Technology TransitionImproving Technology
Insertion

• Reduce redundant technology insertion efforts
• Perform intentional technology transfer
• Plan for bridging the Valley of Death
• Attempt to get dedicated insertion funding
• Attempt to expand the definition of sustainment
  to include natural sustainment technology growth
• Work together and be smarter
• Develop comprehensive roadmaps
• Provide centralized repository of technology
  needs
• Rack stack based on Air Force needs

CREATION OF THE SUSTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY PROCESS
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Technology TransitionStrategic Rhythm
Even CY
APOM Build
Odd FY PB
Even FY PB
POM Build
APOM
POM
AFRL POM
APOM Kickoff
Guidance to TDs
POM Kickoff
Submit-AFMC
Guidance to TDs
Submit-AFMC
Updates to Tech Needs
Tech Needs for POM Year
O-6Baseline Guidance
Needs ID
Prep
Kickoff
Prep
Kickoff
Product Center Needs ID/Review
Review
Identify
Technology Fit
Technology Fit
AFRL Option Development
Options
AFRL Corp Board Review/Approval
If Necessary
Mid Oct
Mid Oct

Sustainment Technology Process Reviews
Collaboration
Approval
Collaboration
AFRL/Center Option/Solution Collaboration
O-6 Validation/ Prioritization
Date set by Product Center
Date set by Product Center
PEO-TEO Approval
Condensed Step 1/Step 2
Dispostion
Center Industry Days Timeframe
Step 1/Step 2
IRAD/SBIR Topics Submitted
IRAD/SBIR Topics Submitted
MAJCOM ATC Meetings Event Window
Date set by MAJCOM
Date set by MAJCOM
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Overview

• Strategic Direction
• Technology Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Maintaining Technological Advantage
• Tech Transition Valley of Death
• Sustainment Manufacturing
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

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Sustainment Manufacturing

• Sustainment Technology Process (STP)
• AFMC/CV directed creation of STP
• Stakeholders ALCs, AFMC, AFRL, ACC, ASC, AMC,
  ESC, AFSOC, AMARG, plus industry and academia
• Process designed to encourage cooperation and
  synergy regarding technology insertion
• Manufacturing Maturity
• Manufacturing readiness impacts program cost,
  schedule, and field performance
• AF is adopting MRLs, MRAs, and proven best
  manufacturing practices to assess manufacturing
  maturity

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS (GAO)
MATURE TECHNOLOGIES, STABLE DESIGNS, PRODUCTION
PROCESSES IN CONTROL
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Overview

• Strategic Direction
• Technology Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Maintaining Technological Advantage
• Tech Transition Valley of Death
• Sustainment Manufacturing
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

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Changes in Acquisition PolicyCSAF SECAF
Acquisition Improvement Plan

• Revitalize the acquisition workforce
• Improve the requirements generation process
• Instill budget and financial discipline
• Improve AF major systems source selections
• Establish clear lines of authority and
  accountability within the acquisition
  organizations

THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IS COMMITTED TO
RECAPTURING ACQUISITION EXCELLENCE
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Changes in Acquisition PolicySpecific ASC
Business Initiatives

• Reduce the Undefinitized Contract Award
  dependency
• Manage/definitize those we have
• Move away from Cost Plus Fixed Fee Cost Plus
  Award Fee contracts--cost control
• Demand more as the customer
• Profit risk
• Reduce proposal lead time and improve quality
• Drive requirements stability
• Simplify source selections and acquisition
  strategies

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5000.02 Major Changes
Changes in Acquisition PolicyNew Acquisition
Policy
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Changes in Acquisition PolicyNew Acquisition
Policy

• More robust Systems Engineering
• Technical risk reduction
• Competitive prototyping
• Independent SME reviews
• Additional program documentation

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Conclusion

• Strategic Direction
• PEO/TEO Tech Needs
• Challenges Opportunities
• Changes in Acquisition Policy

REQUIRES A TEAM EFFORTINDUSTRY IS AN ESSENTIAL
PARTNER THROUGHOUT ENTIRE PROCESS
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Questions?
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