Readiness Enhancer Lt. Gen. C.D. Moore II Commander U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
2014
U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Readiness Enhancer
Q& A
Enhancing Performance, Reducing Costs and Improving Operational Readiness
Lieutenant General C.D. Moore II Commander U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Lieutenant General C.D. Moore II is commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The organization is the single center responsible for total life cycle management covering all aircraft, engines, munitions and electronic systems. Moore is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as the top graduate in engineering. A Guggenheim Fellow, he completed a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering at Columbia University before entering flight school in 1981. He served as a T-38 instructor pilot, an operational F-15 pilot and as an experimental test pilot. Moore also served as commander of the first F-22 squadron as well as a group commander at Eglin AFB, Fla., Materiel Wing director of the F-16 System Program Office, Materiel wing commander of the F-22 System Program Office and vice commander of the Aeronautical Systems Center. His staff assignments include director of special programs in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, deputy director of the Global Power Directorate in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, and deputy program executive officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office. Moore served as the chief of air operations, Multi-National ForcesIraq in 2004, and he is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours in 30 types of aircraft. Prior to assuming his current position, Moore was vice commander, Air Force Materiel Command. His awards and decorations include: Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters; Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Air Force Commendation Medal; Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Combat Readiness Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border. Q: Do you expect any short-term gains from the budget arrangement that the president and Congress signed back in December to restart work that had been on hold? What do you see as your budget priorities for this year? www.MLF-kmi.com
A: The most valuable benefit of the signed budget is the planning and execution certainty it affords our program teams. This budget certainty and associated program stability allow us to more effectively and efficiently support the AF’s readiness, modernization and recapitalization priorities. Our key execution objectives remain delivery of cost-effective acquisition solutions and affordable product support for the nearly 3,000 programs and services managed by the center today. The new budget arrangement allows our program managers to establish firm execution baselines and subsequently higher confidence plans for achieving both near- and long-term capability commitments to the U.S. services and our international partners. Q: What do you see as the biggest challenges to Air Force product support in 2014? A: In this leaner budget environment, the center is laser focused on delivery of product support capability at reduced costs. Capitalizing on the center’s life cycle management and product support enterprise responsibilities, we are working closely with our many program managers and customers to determine the optimum application of resources to achieve a balanced, risk-based level of system availability at the lowest possible cost. U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center | MLF 8.3 | 1
U.S. Air Force Life Cycle management center Headquarters
Lt. Gen. C.D. Moore Commander
Patsy Reeves Executive Director
Col. Teresa Quick Director of Staff
Col. James Fultom Vice Commander
Chief Master Sgt. Maxwell Grindstaff Command Chief
Ralph Garcia Propulsion
Brig. Gen. Peter Sefcik Jr. Mobilization Assistant
Col. Justin Smith Guard Advisor
Brig. Gen. Shaun Morris AF Security and Cooperation
John Artuso Acquisition
Col. Keith Bearden Program Development & Integration
Col. Ray Lindsay Logistics
2014
PEO
John Miller Agile Combat Support
Brig. Gen. (S) Eric Fick ISR/SOF
Steven Wert Robert “Shof” Shofner Maj. Gen. Craig S. Olson Battle Management Business & Enterprise Systems C3I & Networks
Maj. Gen. John F. Thompson Tanker
Kevin Buckley Mobility
Maj. Gen. Dwyer L. Dennis Fighters and Bombers
Maj. Gen. (S) Daryl Hauck Maj. Gen. Scott W. Jansson Strategic Systems Weapons
Directorates and Support
Eric Dilworth Personnel
Jorge Gonzalez Engineering
Carolyn Gleason Finance
Col. Peter Bailey Intelligence
Steve Miley Contracting
Lynn Eviston Plans & Programs
Col. James Peavy Safety
Joan Cole Small Business
Col. Jeffrey Drake Inspector General
Col. Franziska Chopp Staff Judge Advocate
Col. Cassie Barlow 88 ABW
Col. Lester A. “JR” Weilacher 66 ABG
U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Using a more holistic product support governance process, we are also shaping new support strategies to drive down weapon system sustainment costs while maintaining essential availability objectives. In short, we are meeting the challenge today through innovation and collaboration as we achieve quality product support results at reduced costs. Q: Is the Air Force realizing the degree of cost savings and efficiencies it had expected for this point in time with the creation of the LCMC? A: The short answer is yes. Over the past year we have forged a more efficient way of operating across our many LCMC locations, employing standardized and improved processes with resultant benefits in cost reduction and enhanced performance. One of our standard processes involves the application of “should cost” principles to our vast acquisition portfolio. This effort has led to nearly $2 billion in cost savings and avoidance, with much more to come as the process is applied to our product support and services activities. We are shaping a new life cycle management cost-conscious culture as we systematically and aggressively pursue cost savings while maintaining high quality performance. Early in the center’s life, we talked about LCMC being a “revolution in acquisition and product support.” We believe the efficiencies achieved to date support that bold assertion. The revolution is underway and gaining momentum! Q: There has long been talk of acquisition reform. Do you think that the way the Air Force PEOs now have a much more defined cradle-to-grave responsibility, is a great step towards looking at total ownership costs as part of the acquisition process?
As the Air Force works the new tanker program, AFLCMC is implementing a more agile and responsive strategic resource management process. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force]
enterprise-level process standardization and our geo-agnostic operating model harness the full power of the system program manager (SPM) and program executive officer (PEO) concepts. Each of our systems now has one unified chain of command for program execution, from inception to disposal. Furthermore, each SPM is supported by one or more product support managers to help build and execute cost-effective life cycle product support strategies. In this new life cycle management construct, we have introduced the means, mechanisms and motivations for driving down total ownership costs as part of the acquisition process. This is real acquisition reform!
A: With the standup of LCMC, we elevated life cycle management from a theoretical concept to a day-to-day execution reality for every program within the center’s portfolio, from aircraft and engines to munitions and electronic/cyber systems. Today we operate in an organization where form and function align ... where cradle-to-grave management is part of our DNA. Our
Q: Is the current education and training pipeline to bring PEOs to the new LCMC processes adequate, or are you making changes to better reflect the new managerial duties the PEO has?
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s workforce of nearly 26,000 is charged with true cradleto-grave life cycle weapon system and sub-system management responsibilities. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force, by Matthew Clouse]
Q: What role does the center have in foreign materiel sales (FMS) support?
4 | MLF 8.3 | U .S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
A: Our PEOs have been instrumental in driving a new life cycle management focus as they have fully embraced their cradle-to-grave responsibilities. Supporting that intent, the center has implemented standardized processes affecting 70-plus locations, which reinforce the PEOs’ efforts to deliver cost-effective acquisition solutions while simultaneously shaping affordable product support strategies. More importantly, this same life cycle management behavior is being reflected by the many SPMs and program teams across the center. In short, the implementation of standardized processes forms the core of our ability to effectively and efficiently execute the acquisition and product support mission with positive, repeatable results. These standardized processes institutionalize best practices that ensure successes are enduring and inherent in future PEO skillsets. These best practices are intended to outlast personnel turnover and ensure future PEOs are ready and equipped for their life cycle management responsibilities.
www.MLF-kmi.com
U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
Lieutenant General C.D. Moore has led the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center since its activation, July 9, 2012. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force]
A: Today LCMC manages nearly 3,000 programs and services for the USAF, our sister services and our international partners. The organization within the center primarily responsible for oversight of the foreign military sales process is the Air Force Security Assistance Cooperation (AFSAC) Directorate. This directorate has responsibility for managing approximately 2,600 joint and international cases for 100-plus nations. As the FMS process owner, AFSAC also supports the PEOs and the individual program teams in their execution of more than 1,000 active FMS programs. Working through the PEOs and the program teams, LCMC applies the same level of process rigor and life cycle management focus to the FMS efforts as we do with all USAF efforts in order to meet each customer’s unique acquisition and product support requirements. Q: How have the changes here affected the way you do business with small businesses? How significant are small businesses to your overall product support capacity? A: Building stronger partnerships is one of the key focus areas for the center this year, and central to that tenet is the need to strengthen our relationship with the small business (SB) community. These partnerships are more important than ever in the current resource constrained environment. In addition to capturing more SB support in our services’ activities, we are making concerted efforts and taking aggressive actions to expand SB involvement in our delivery of new capabilities and associated product support. With that goal in mind, we are working closely with regional and state leaders to identify and expand SB opportunities in support of the LCMC acquisition and product support mission. Using targeted engagements with industry, we are seeking to capitalize on SB innovations and subsequently to harness fresh, bold ideas for delivering more cost-effective products and best value services. Q: When a new project like the KC-46 comes along, how does that alter the structure and size of a directorate—the Tanker Directorate in this case? www.MLF-kmi.com
A: We like to think about our LCMC enterprise as a factory where we effectively manage over 3,000 programs and services by optimally allocating the distributed resources at our 77 LCMC locations. Our 10 execution directorates, each headed by a PEO, have responsibility to manage the programs aligned within their respective portfolios. As our factory delivers capabilities and takes on new program work such as the KC-46, the resource allocation process adjusts portfolio resources to accommodate the changing workload and program priorities. In response to expanding program demands and a tighter fiscal environment, the center is developing an even more agile human resource management process to further optimize the allocation of our most precious resource—our LCMC personnel. By doing so, we will maximize productivity while delivering the most cost-effective combat capabilities. In summary, we are taking life cycle management to a new level of performance, and this improvement starts by implementing a more agile and responsive strategic resource management process. That initiative is underway as we get better positioned to thrive in a resource constrained environment. Q: Any closing thoughts on the men and women of the LCMC? A: The progress we’ve made as a new center is directly attributable to the incredible professionals in the LCMC workforce. Our LCMC team consists of civil servants, active duty military, Guard and Reserve members, and contractor personnel who are all equally committed to the success of our mission—to acquire and support war-winning capabilities. As we move into our second full calendar year as a center, I am more confident than ever that we are on the right track with our life cycle management focus, and that our workforce is absolutely committed to making this new “cradle-tograve” management concept a huge win for our AF. The LCMC workforce is comprised of innovative, hardworking airmen who are going the extra mile each day in providing the warfighter’s edge! O U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center | MLF 8.3 | 5
U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
AFLCMC Transitions to New Acquisition Program In an effort to consolidate and streamline acquisition processes, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is transitioning to the One Acquisition Solution for Services (OASIS) Small Business Program, for support in securing professional service needs. OASIS will be used by AFLCMC’s Engineering and Professional Administrative Support Services (EPASS) office to hire contractors for services the center needs, including engineering, financial management, transportation, construction and repair work. The program, which is administered by the U.S. General Services Administration, will manage a pool of 40 small businesses, which will compete for up to
$5 billion in AFLCMC contracts at center locations nationwide over the next five years. OASIS will promote and improve efficiency within acquisitions by consolidating all of the center’s service needs into fewer and larger task orders and in the process, eliminate redundant requirements and contracts. “There are a lot of different options for obtaining the professional services we need to be successful at our jobs,” said Kevin Keck, Strategic Services portfolio manager in AFLCMC. “OASIS will be the program used to acquire all AFLCMC services regardless of location. It allows us to effectively manage our resources by reducing the sheer number of service
contracts we have from more than 250 to as few as 30.” Keck added that other benefits are that OASIS will allow AFLCMC to acquire services faster as well as provide greater flexibility in the movement of contract employees between center offices and organizations spread across multiple locations, all of which can be supported by a single/common contractor team. According to Patsy Reeves, AFLCMC executive director, the program is a ‘game changer.’ “The award of this contract was part of our six strategic objectives of the year,” said Reeves. “OASIS allows us to obtain the crucial services we need, more efficiently, while partnering with outstanding small businesses nationwide.” O
Ghostrider Completes First Flight on Way to AFSOC The Strike Systems Branch, working in conjunction with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), recently completed the first flight of the AC-130J Ghostrider. The branch is part of the Special Operation Forces and Personnel Recovery Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Its parent organization is the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, which is headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB. The 50-member Strike Systems team, along with Lockheed Martin Missiles Fire Control, began initial modifications in February 2013 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The modification effort took nearly one year from initial cut to first flight in January. The Strike Systems Branch worked closely with airworthiness subject matter experts to ensure all necessary data was received and reviewed to obtain a military flight release for flight test in less than 12 months. Developmental testing began on January 31 at Eglin and is scheduled to conclude in November. Modifications to the second aircraft will begin in September, with operational tests beginning in the summer of 2015. The first aircraft will be operational in 2017. The Ghostrider blends the MC-130J Commando II with the combat proven Dragon Spear precision strike package from the AC130W Stinger II. The precision strike package consists of a mission operator console, dual electro-optical infrared sensors, advanced communication suite, advanced fire control equipment, precision guided munitions, and a trainable 30 mm Bushmaster cannon. The mission of the AC-130J Ghostrider is to provide close air support, special operations armed airborne reconnaissance, and 6 | MLF 8.3 | U .S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
ordnance delivery to precise targets in support of ground forces. Additional collateral missions include strike coordination, nontraditional intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and command and control. The next-generation AC-130J is USSOCOM’s number one acquisition priority. A total of 32 MC-130J aircraft will be modified for Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) as part of a $2.4 billion AC-130J program to grow the future fleet and replace AFSOC’s aging fleet of AC-130H/U/W gunships. O www.MLF-kmi.com