air force rapid capabilities office director

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS Navy Achievement Medal with two gold stars Background Jez Holmes OBE - Head of the Royal Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIAs National Defense The deployment, which began March 1, is part of an exercise dubbed Agile Reaper 23-1. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the . The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Rapid Capabilities Office > Air Force > Fact Sheet Display 7. June 2003June 2006, Commander, 7th Contracting Squadron, 7th Mission Support Group, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas Alongside the director, he directs contracting activities executing $4 billion a year for . Background 1997 - 1998, Classified Flight Test Squadron Commander, Nellis AFB, Nev. 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. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. 19. The Air Force Scientific Advisory Boarda group of experts and researchers the department taps for independent advice on key science and technology effortsis undertaking four studies in 2023, including two that will likely inform the services approach to Secretary Frank Kendalls operational imperatives. We were pleased to have U.S. Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David D. Thompson preside over the assumption of leadership . PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Jun 05 Jul 07, Chief, Offensive Capabilities Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington DC 9. 1997 Advanced Program Manager Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. Official websites use .mil . 14. Mar 98 - Sep 00, Special Projects Program Manager, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 4. 21. May 1989October 1990, Contract Negotiator, Operational Contracting Division, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Space Rapid Capabilities Office > United States Space Force > Fact Sheets In December 2018, its mission was expanded and its name changed to the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. Mar 96 - Aug 97, Aerodynamic Propulsion Analyst, National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 2. Kendall looks to accelerate appointment of civilian leader to oversee 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. Randall G. Walden, head of the separate Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, indicated in 2018 the new group needed to set a baseline from which to start its work. The Space Development Agency has added another batch of missile-tracking satellites to its expansive constellation, awarding Raytheon a $250 million contract March 2 to build seven spacecraft. Discover the best publication that space professionals throughout the world turn to first. "We have to go fast," Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. Full Report. However, one project will notably stay off the Space RCOs plate: the experimental X-37B spaceplane. 18. Military Instructor. The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and deliver capabilities that require specialized expertise. Key Operating Principles 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. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office. The office responds to Combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements. "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah 11. 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. Roberts and SDA Director Derek M. Tournear talk at least once a week about their similar efforts. B-21 Director Walden Leaving RCO to Advise LaPlante at Pentagon June 2000June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. 7. Oct. 9, 2019 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. Space RCO Head: Too Soon For Single Acquisition Shop The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper, visited the B-21 Raider design and development headquarters at Northrop Grumman, to witness the progress being made on the nation's most cutting edge dual-capable stealth bomber. 13. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office | LinkedIn Aerial Achievement Medal Their work is critical to driving competitive . 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. Secretary of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Award August 2007January 2009, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington, D.C. 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. Previously, in November 2020, the Air and Space Force's acquisition chief, then Dr. Will Roper, named the RCO as the ABMS Integrating Program Executive Office. There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. 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. 12. We dont necessarily have that same construct.. July 1995 April 2001, Aegis Fire Controlman First Class, USS Port Royal CG 73, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii She also served as the Program Executive Officer Chief Engineer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office where her responsibilities included technical . 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. The office procures space technologies and manages classified programs for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. 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. United States Space Force > About Us > Fact Sheets 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. She rapidly delivered the first operational asset under extreme security constraints and compressed schedule, ensuring warfighter training remained on schedule to support COCOM and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed early deployment. OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS Air Force scientist takes over as director of Space Force rapid In 2021, Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, said that a first flight in mid-2022 was a "good bet". 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. The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. D. EDWARD KELLER JR. > Air Force > Biography Display - AF Colonel Johnson directed an 800person team to design critical systems, test effectiveness, interoperability, and field COCOM priorities. Located in Washington, D.C., the DAF RCO reports directly to a Board . 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. Rapid Capabilities Office 10. 10 things we know about the secret X-37B space plane Theres a lot of interest in reusable space vehicles, and right now, weve gained a lot of information in the decade weve been operating that system.. Hammett will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. We're weird, he said. Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award That is the central question, said Randy Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. Unit Commendation Medal with three gold stars 220812-F-NW306-1020. Gen. Jeffery Valenzia, who leads the Air Force's ABMS . The Army Rapid Capabilities Office was created in August 2016 to expedite the delivery of critical combat materiel capabilities to the Warfighter to meet Combatant Commanders' needs. 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. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. 5. Former AFRL Official Kelly Hammett Takes Over as Space RCO Director 2. The Office is . NAVSEA Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal 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. The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. MICHAEL W. ROBERTS > Air Force > Biography Display - AF Jan 02 - Jun 03, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 6. She has served as an aerodynamic propulsion analyst at the National Air Intelligence Center where she developed new modeling tools for missile propulsion assessments. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. April 2001 January 2004, SPY Element Test Engineer, Northrup Grumman Information Technology, Dahlgren, Va. CROWS looks to expand its partnerships > Eglin Air Force Base > Article Prior to her current assignment at MacDill AFB, Colonel Johnson was the Chief of Integration for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program at Hill AFB, where she was responsible for all programmatic integration of the $85B recapitalization of the land-based portion of the nuclear triad. 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 Space RCO Board, Roberts explained, includes the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, the Chief of Staff . He is the senior adviser to the Service Acquisition Executive on acquisition strategy, execution and policy and procedures for classified and SAP contracting. AWARDS AND HONORS The Air Forces current service acquisition executive (SAE), Andrew Hunter, revealed in June that the B-21 is actually under budget. January 2017 February 2019, Director, Development and Integration PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. He also served on multiple headquarters staffs, including Headquarters Air Force. The CROWS team, who already have CFTs . 2004 Bachelors of Science, Engineering Technology, Grantham University, Lenexa, Kan. 17. Total Force - Air and Space Lt Gen Richard W. Scobee, Chief of Air Force Reserve Lt Gen Michael A. Loh, Director, Air National Guard Video. 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. . Copyright 2023. 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. 1st. 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. Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters 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. The SSC will work directly with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups like the Rapid Capabilities Office. Mr. Keller retired from active duty as a colonel in 2017. Afghanistan Campaign Medal Here's What We Know The Shadowy X-37B Was Up To During Its Record 780 The Air Force has disclosed relatively few other products of the RCO, but one noteworthy program was the X-37B mini-space plane, one of which broke its own on-orbit record July 6. June 2009 October 2010, DDG 1000 Combat Systems TD, NAVSEA05H, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Mission, Organization One program that looks to augment existing spacecraft ground control systems isnt quite as under wraps. 2003 Senior Executive Service Seminar, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Society of Flight Test Engineers June 2012June 2014, Chief, Contracting Operations Division, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. [Our approach] is a little bit different, Roberts said. 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. Jun 04 - Jun 05, Executive Officer, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington DC 8. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring, and fielding critical combat capabilities. CROWS looks to expand its partnerships > Tinker Air Force Base New Hanscom team developing roadmap for ABMS > Hanscom Air Force Base Read more at National Defense Magazine. 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, Top Pentagon Official: Chinas Air Actions Are Dangerous and Destabilizing, Entire F-35 Fleet to Get Fix for Engine Vibration Issue, Service Will Remain at Heart of King Aerospace No Matter How Aviation and Technology Change, US Set Up Afghans for Failure, With a Force Too Complex to Maintain, IG Says, Air Force Separated 610 Airmen For Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine, USAF Selects Boeings E-7A Wedgetail as Successor to AWACS. 3. 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 . EDUCATION Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Mike Roberts, Director Space Rapid Capabilities Office (DOD) . 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. 6. 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. 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. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities. Test and Evaluation, Level II APDP Details About X-37B Payload Adapter Revealed After Record-Setting Mission Delivering space capabilities quickly and effectively requires a strong core culture and mindset. MELISSA A. JOHNSON > Air Force > Biography Display - AF June 2004June 2005, Executive Officer, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. 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 Published Aug. 31, 2020. Space RCO is a relatively small office filled with people who love what they do in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Current as of November 2020), An official website of the United States government, Air Force Distributed Common Ground System, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Defense Meritorious Service Medal (Current as of January 2023), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 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). Space RCO Presses Forward Amid Reorganization 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. 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. A blistering, 148-page document by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that Afghan. Rolls-Royce has started testing the F130 engine that will replace the B-52's aged TF33, the company announced. 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 . Office of Public Affairs . Mr. Robert D. Eidsmoe is the Deputy Director, Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The deputy or technical director to a SCO may exercise any SCO authority unless restricted in the FAR, as supplemented (e.g., individual authorized to execute a specific authority must be of a certain minimum grade/rank), or as specifically limited by the SCO. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring, and fielding critical combat capabilities. Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (28 pages) Accessible PDF (33 pages) GAO Contacts. 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. 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. Deliveries of the engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, resumed Feb. 18 after nearly a two-month hiatus. September 2018June 2019, Associate Executive Director, Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. Air Force Achievement Medal OUSD A&S Leadership - Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Mr. Roberts was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2017. August 2011July 2015, Materiel Leader, Strategic Combat Systems, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Colonel Melissa A. Johnson is the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Fixed Wing Programs, HQ US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill AFB, FL. Col Jeffrey R. LaFleur, USAF > The Eisenhower School > FacBio 15. As a. 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. 16. This 1,000 member Directorate executes $16 Billion and delivers combat capability to primarily . Jul 15 Jul 16, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB AL 13. The past 15 years, his career focus has been on acquisition, combat and weapon system engineering, design, testing, fielding and sustainment. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. Air Force releases new B-21 Raider artist rendering About Us . Defense Acquisition Corps 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. 9. 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. 12. Watch the skies in 2022 for the first B-21 bomber flight - Defense News During a recent Air Force Association breakfast, the Director and Program Executive Officer for the U.S. Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office touted the progress made on the B-21 Raider program. Tanya M. Skeen - Our People - Purdue Engineering The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities. 420th FLTS Reactivates to Support B-21 Raider Testing. Mr. Walden retired from active duty in 2002 with more than 20 years of military experience as an acquisition and technical professional. 7. As the SpRCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees Space-based research, development and acquisition . Top Secret Spaceplane Lands in Florida After Spending Over 2 - Gizmodo Your browser is incompatible with this widget. director and program executive officer for the Department of . 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. Air Force Commendation Medal During her assignment at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, she served as the Chief of the Offensive Capabilities Branch, where she was responsible for integrating acquisition efforts in support of multiple classified programs valued at over $600M. 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. 20. 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. 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. June 2001May 2003, Acquisition Staff Officer, Contracting Division, Directorate of Logistics and Maintenance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. 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. About | The Army RCCTO ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: D. Edward Keller Jr. is Director of Contracting for the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) and a member of the Senior Executive Service. Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters 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. Mr. Walden graduated from Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Virginia, in 1982. June 1993January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla.