The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities. Aerial Achievement Medal He became head of the RCO in 2014. The past 15 years, his career focus has been on acquisition, combat and weapon system engineering, design, testing, fielding and sustainment. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. Air Force Achievement Medal . Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering, Level II, APDP Randall G. Walden, director and program executive officer for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, speaks at AFA's Air Warfare Symposium, March 4, 2022. 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Walden has reported that six B-21s are in construction at Northrop Grummans Palmdale, Calif., plant and that the first one will likely roll out in 2022. June 2004June 2005, Executive Officer, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. Jun 03 - Jun 04, Chief, Asymmetric Capabilities Development Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington DC 7. Specifically, the office: Organization Mr. Robertss career spans 24 years in support of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force as both a veteran and acquisition professional. July 2015July 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 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. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina He also served on multiple headquarters staffs, including Headquarters Air Force. 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. 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.. 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. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS He 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, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations and the Assistant Secretary for the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Roberts and SDA Director Derek M. Tournear talk at least once a week about their similar efforts. 12. 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. The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. The CROWS team, who already have CFTs . Read more at National Defense Magazine. ElyRatner, assistant secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, discussed how China continues to prod the U.S. and challenge stability in region, even as, The entire F-35 fleet is slated to get the retrofit engine maker Pratt & Whitney has identified to mitigate the problem that led to suspended deliveries and flight restrictions for some aircraft for nearly two monthsa move that will affect hundreds of fighters globally. Official websites use .mil . An artist rendering of a B-21 Raider concept in a hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. 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. The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. 1991 Master of Science, Engineering Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Patuxent River, Md. 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. Ms. Johnson graduated from the University of Florida in 1995 and received her commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in March 1996. 4. 10. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency handles similar initiatives that can transition to the Space RCO as well. The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. 1. 1984 - 1989, Flight Test Engineer, F-16 Combined Test Force, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. 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. The office. October 2000January 2002, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M. Bronze Star Medal August 1997March 1998, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (28 pages) Accessible PDF (33 pages) GAO Contacts. OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS RCO delivers Department of the Air Force capabilities. 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. 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. 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. June 2018 - October 2019, Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management . 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. 17. If we move under the Space Systems Command, we probably should cease to exist, Roberts said. June 2014May 2017, Director of Contracting, Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. Since neither Russia nor Ukraines air force has been able to achieve air superiority, both sides have turned to drones to augment their capabilities. It will slow us down. In December 2018, its mission was expanded and its name changed to the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. 10. Aug 16 May 17, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB UT 14. 19. 1995 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville 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 . (Current as of January 2023), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. A Program Executive Officer, or PEO, is one of a few key individuals in the United States military acquisition process. In 2021, Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, said that a first flight in mid-2022 was a "good bet". 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. 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. Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Brig. 2013 Air War College Non-resident Program, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Copyright 2023. June 1993January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. Randall G. Walden, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director and Program Executive Officer for 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. He holds a master non-rated aircrew badge. 14. 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. 5mo. Mar 96 - Aug 97, Aerodynamic Propulsion Analyst, National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 2. SDA is pursuing a constellation of potentially thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to handle everything from target tracking to missile warning. Office of Public Affairs . 2009 Masters of Science, Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. 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. Full Report. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. Air Force Commendation Medal 12. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office procures commercial and classified technologies for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command by Sandra Erwin June 14, 2022 January 23, 2023 Click to share on . Mr. Walden retired from active duty in 2002 with more than 20 years of military experience as an acquisition and technical professional. January 1995June 1996, Assistant Chief, Operations Group, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. Robertss team could ask the Air Force RCO to test payloads on the spaceplane that would eventually fly on satellites or other spacecraft. April 2001 January 2004, SPY Element Test Engineer, Northrup Grumman Information Technology, Dahlgren, Va. The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. 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. 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. Video: Mitchell Institute on YouTube, That may sound familiar, as the U.S. Space Force thought about what we go after, Roberts said. Alongside the director, he directs contracting activities executing $4 billion a year for . 15. (Current as of September 2019), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 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. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. July 1997June 1998, Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. 7. will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. In March 2021, the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office presented a brief to GAO that further defined these roles, and established responsibilities of their office. The conflict in Ukraine is increasingly emerging as a test bed for new American unmanned aerial systems (UAS). 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. Air Force Achievement Medal Deliveries of the engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, resumed Feb. 18 after nearly a two-month hiatus. July 2008July 2009, Commander, Kabul Regional Contracting Center, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. This 1,000 member Directorate executes $16 Billion and delivers combat capability to primarily . 11. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. Additionally, Mr. Keller is Director of Contracting, Air Force Special Access Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. The Air Force had once projected the first flight of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider would occur in December 2021, . 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. August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah MELBOURNE, Fla (AFNS) --. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. October 2020present, Deputy Director, 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. 9. The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. That is the central question, said Randy Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. 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. 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. 1998 Master of Science in Engineering Management, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio 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. 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.. 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. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. Its not the fault of the commander or anybody else at Space Systems Command, its just because youre adding two to three layers of bureaucracy and decision-making on top of my current organization. Welcome. 7. Society of Flight Test Engineers "We have to go fast," Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. 2. 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. 8. March 2015 January 2017, Surface Ships Weapons Duty Major Program Manager, Arlington, Va. The Secretary of the Air Force activated the office on April 28, 2003. 1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Colonel Melissa A. Johnson is the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Fixed Wing Programs, HQ US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill AFB, FL. Mr. Keller graduated from East Carolina University in 1989 and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force the same year. This military aviation article is a stub. 1989 - 1992, Lead Avionics Flight Test Engineer, V-22 Multi-Service Test Team, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The office responds to Combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements. 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. 10. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. 2. 2. CAREER CHRONOLOGY Hammett will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He served in acquisition command as the . 2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2002 - 2003, Technical Director, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 6. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 9. Jan 02 - Jun 03, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 6. Dunlap would continue to oversee on-ramp experiments . (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. 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. 1982 - 1984, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Parks College of St. Louis University, Cahokia, Ill. More by Sandra Erwin. director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, during a recent interview with Air . July 1996July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. 1997 Advanced Program Manager Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. About Us . 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. 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 . He is the senior adviser to the Service Acquisition Executive on acquisition strategy, execution and policy and procedures for classified and SAP contracting. June 2015 - June 2018, Senior Materiel Leader/System Program Director, B-21 Raider Program, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 16. He retired in 2002 and was appointed to the Senior Executive Service that same year, subsequently working on special access programs, in the RCO, and as the director of test and evaluation for USAF. 4. . 1. A space solar power program that fell under the former Operationally Responsive Space office is transitioning to the Air Force Research Laboratory instead. 9. 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 . )or https:// means you've safely connected to the .mil website. 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. Dr. Kelly Hammett, 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 . 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. EDUCATION WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and delivers capabilities that require specialized expertise. 13. 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. 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.. 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. Planning for the event began over six months ago with collaboration between the 805th CTS, Secretary of the Air Force's Studies and Analysis team, Headquarters Air Force ABMS Cross-Functional team, Rapid Capabilities Office, Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, 505th Command and Control Wing and industry partners. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. CAREER CHRONOLOGY The office procures space technologies and manages classified programs for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command.