air force rapid capabilities office director air force rapid capabilities office director

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. 1st. 2009 - 2009, Deputy and Technical Director, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. 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. 2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1996 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence A blistering, 148-page document by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that Afghan. 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. The SSC will work directly with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups like the Rapid Capabilities Office. Air Force Achievement Medal Photo: U.S. Air Force/Released. Air Force Achievement Medal 11. 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 for Acquisition and Sustainment, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations, the Assistant Secretary for the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, and the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration. 2. As a. Robertss team could ask the Air Force RCO to test payloads on the spaceplane that would eventually fly on satellites or other spacecraft. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. WASHINGTON Kelly Hammett, former head of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate, is now director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. More by Sandra Erwin. Jez Holmes OBE - Head of the Royal Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office We were pleased to have U.S. Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David D. Thompson preside over the assumption of leadership . June 2004June 2005, Executive Officer, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. October 1990June 1993, Contracting Officer, F-15 System Program Office, Robins AFB, Ga. . August 1997March 1998, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. This military aviation article is a stub. 4. 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. July 2010June 2012, Director, Mission Support Team 1, Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. The deployment, which began March 1, is part of an exercise dubbed Agile Reaper 23-1. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Air Force Commendation Medal (U.S. Air Force graphic) 16. (Current as of November 2020), An official website of the United States government, 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, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. September 2018June 2019, Associate Executive Director, Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering, Level II, APDP Those satellites will join the already-planned 28 satellites in the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer of SDAs Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. 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. He is the senior adviser to the Service Acquisition Executive on acquisition strategy, execution and policy and procedures for classified and SAP contracting. 2009 Masters of Science, Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. Office of Public Affairs . 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. 1984 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Parks College of St. Louis University, Cahokia, Ill. The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and deliver capabilities that require specialized expertise. 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. 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 (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring, and fielding critical combat capabilities. 4. 6. The office procures space technologies and manages classified programs for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. 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. MELBOURNE, Fla (AFNS) --. Published Aug. 31, 2020. 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. 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. 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. Their work is critical to driving competitive . July 1995 April 2001, Aegis Fire Controlman First Class, USS Port Royal CG 73, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii The Air Forces current service acquisition executive (SAE), Andrew Hunter, revealed in June that the B-21 is actually under budget. 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. 420th FLTS Reactivates to Support B-21 Raider Testing. CAREER CHRONOLOGY 17. Air Force releases new B-21 Raider artist rendering Jan 02 - Jun 03, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 6. In November 2020, the Air Force tapped the Rapid Capabilities Office to manage ABMS procurement and create the effort's acquisition strategy. 1992 Master of Business Administration, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville EDUCATION 7. 2007 Meritorious Senior Professional Presidential Rank Award Women Achieving Acquisition Excellence 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 office. Space RCO Presses Forward Amid Reorganization 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. July 1996July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. EDUCATION 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. 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 . February 2019 present, Director, Space Rapid Capabilities Office, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. 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. Mr. Keller retired from active duty as a colonel in 2017. Copyright 2023. Meritorious Service Medal . 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. Brig. 3. 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. 3. EDUCATION 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. January 2002June 2003, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M. Air Staff (United States) - Wikipedia He became head of the RCO in 2014. AFRLs directed energy division has 1,200 employees and an annual budget of $355 million. CROWS looks to expand its partnerships. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2021. 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. 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 . 20. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. A space solar power program that fell under the former Operationally Responsive Space office is transitioning to the Air Force Research Laboratory instead. NAVSEA Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal CAREER CHRONOLOGY On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Aug 16 May 17, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB UT 14. (Current as of June 2020), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. . The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. He holds a master non-rated aircrew badge. Certified Acquisition Professional, Level III, Contracting 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.. 1. Melissa Johnson - Digitell Inc. During Waldens 20-year Air Force career as a flight test engineer, he worked at times on classified projects. August 2013 March 2015, ZUMWALT Deputy Major Program Manager, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 5. 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. 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. The RCO also says it developed the integrated air defense system installed around the National Capital Region after the 9/11 attacks. "We have to go fast," Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. June 2000June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. The Air Force had once projected the first flight of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider would occur in December 2021, . 5. MELISSA A. JOHNSON > Air Force > Biography Display - AF The past 15 years, his career focus has been on acquisition, combat and weapon system engineering, design, testing, fielding and sustainment. [Our approach] is a little bit different, Roberts said. The service could not immediately say whether a successor at the RCO had been determined. Space RCO Head: Too Soon For Single Acquisition Shop Pentagon leaders and cleared members of Congress alike have lauded the B-21 as a well-run program. 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. 1984 - 1989, Flight Test Engineer, F-16 Combined Test Force, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. 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. Colonel Johnson received her commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in March 1996. 15. 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 here. Top Secret Spaceplane Lands in Florida After Spending Over 2 - Gizmodo About | The Army RCCTO The Space Rapid Capabilities Office. 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. 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. CAREER CHRONOLOGY 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. 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. 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. Specifically, the office: Organization Staff photo by Mike Tsukamoto. June 2006June 2008, Operational Manager, Theater Effects Based Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (TEBOACTD), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va. 1997 Advanced Program Manager Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. June 2003June 2006, Commander, 7th Contracting Squadron, 7th Mission Support Group, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas AFRL highlights importance of science and technology at AFA's Air September 2005January 2006, Chief, Theater Contracts Division, Principal Assistant Responsible for ContractingForces, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq Located in Washington, D.C., the DAF RCO reports directly to a Board . Jul 15 Jul 16, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB AL 13. June 2019present, Director of Contracting, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office / Special Access Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. The Air Force 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. Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (28 pages) Accessible PDF (33 pages) GAO Contacts. 11. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. 2003 - 2009, Technical Director, Special Programs, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 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. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office | LinkedIn 2003 Senior Executive Service Seminar, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. I dont see that changing. Since neither Russia nor Ukraines air force has been able to achieve air superiority, both sides have turned to drones to augment their capabilities. 4. 18. 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. 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 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. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. Details About X-37B Payload Adapter Revealed After Record-Setting Mission 2022 National Defense Strategy to Prioritize Gray Zone & Hybrid Warfare 7. Military Instructor. Northrop Grumman Says It's Confident On B-21's Rollout Later This Year 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 . Program Manager, AFRL Transformational Capabilities Office Dayton, Ohio, United States. 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. 2006 Masters of Science, Software Engineering, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, Va. Dunlap would continue to oversee on-ramp experiments . 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. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. 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. 10. 1998 Master of Science in Engineering Management, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio As Space RCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees space-based research, development and acquisition . The Space RCO Board, Roberts explained, includes the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, the Chief of Staff . 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications Air Force Commendation Medal will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. 2. . Their hard work began to pay off as more people volunteered. Test and Evaluation, Level II APDP GCW: Space Acquisition Forum - GovConWire Events 6. Knausenberger, who became CIO in August 2020, is set to leave in June. 220812-F-NW306-1020. 21. 15. The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. Back then, a second B-21 Raider bomber was under . 1989 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Rapid Capabilities Office. director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, during a recent interview with Air . You will never be allowed to go fast.. Center for Rapid Innovation Deputy Director at Air Force Research Laboratory the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. 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.