said the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, . 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. Specifically, the office: Organization June 2006June 2008, Operational Manager, Theater Effects Based Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (TEBOACTD), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va. 1982 Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Va. July 2015July 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. With a successful landing today, the X-37B completed its longest flight to date and successfully completed all mission objectives," Randy Walden, the director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities . 2016 Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 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. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS The Office is . Background 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. 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. Air Force Commendation Medal In a statement June 13, Hammett said: Im really excited about the new opportunity and the trust being placed in me to lead the Space RCO team as they deliver new capabilities to the U.S. Space Force that are desperately needed to fill important warfighter gaps., Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. 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. Society of Flight Test Engineers 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. The CROWS team, who already have CFTs . 2009 Masters of Science, Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. 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. 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 Us . Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 5. That is the central question, said Randy Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. The RCO also says it developed the integrated air defense system installed around the National Capital Region after the 9/11 attacks. The past 15 years, his career focus has been on acquisition, combat and weapon system engineering, design, testing, fielding and sustainment. 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 . 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 . In November 2020, the Air Force tapped the Rapid Capabilities Office to manage ABMS procurement and create the effort's acquisition strategy. will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. July 1995 April 2001, Aegis Fire Controlman First Class, USS Port Royal CG 73, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 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. One program that looks to augment existing spacecraft ground control systems isnt quite as under wraps. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Deliveries of the engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, resumed Feb. 18 after nearly a two-month hiatus. . Center for Rapid Innovation Deputy Director at Air Force Research Laboratory 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. 2013 Air War College Non-resident Program, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Jan 02 - Jun 03, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB NM 6. September 2018June 2019, Associate Executive Director, Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. (U.S. Air Force graphic) Air Force Achievement Medal 1992 Master of Business Administration, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville (Current as of March 2023), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 1. Mr. Keller retired from active duty as a colonel in 2017. 14. Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) Meritorious Service Medal 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. The Department of Air Force's chief information officer Lauren Knausenberger will soon depart, the Air Force said Feb. 23. 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. 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 EDUCATION 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. 10. 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. Pentagon leaders and cleared members of Congress alike have lauded the B-21 as a well-run program. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. If we move under the Space Systems Command, we probably should cease to exist, Roberts said. 16. 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. Michael W. Roberts, Director and Program Executive Officer for The Space Rapid Capabilities Office Video. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. 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. He is the senior adviser to the Service Acquisition Executive on acquisition strategy, execution and policy and procedures for classified and SAP contracting. 2. Rapid Capabilities Office 11. MICHAEL W. ROBERTS. . Test and Evaluation, Level II APDP Shank "brings many years of military, government, and commercial industry experience to SCO," the bio states. "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . 5. April 2001 January 2004, SPY Element Test Engineer, Northrup Grumman Information Technology, Dahlgren, Va. Oct. 9, 2019 The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, located in Washington, D.C., reports directly to a Board of Directors chaired by the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. The Space RCO appears to have settled on a slate of initiatives that will keep it occupied. Walden, who is the director and program executive officer for the RCO, has been named senior executive advisor in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, according to a July 11 announcement from the Air Force. Afghanistan Campaign Medal 1997 Advanced Program Manager Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. He firmly opposes the prospect of moving under the Space Forces new Space Systems Command, the organization meant to encompass all space research, development, and acquisition under the Department of the Air Force. 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. 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. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, during a recent interview with Air . The office responds to Combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements. Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. 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. 5. 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. He also served on multiple headquarters staffs, including Headquarters Air Force. The SSC will work directly with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups like the Rapid Capabilities Office. Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering, Level II, APDP WASHINGTON (AFNS) --. August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah 15. Their work is critical to driving competitive . 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. 2006 Masters of Science, Software Engineering, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, Va. 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. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. July 1996July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. June 2017July 2020, Program Executive Officer, Fixed Wing, Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. . Get top stories, military space news and more delivered to your inbox. 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. 10. 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications He served in a variety of roles, leading contracting operations in support of space and aircraft systems acquisition, installation and specialized support, and contingency operations in three different theaters. 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. 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. He holds a master non-rated aircrew badge. The multimode sensor can perform radar, communications, and electronic warfare functions simultaneously. 1. October 1990June 1993, Contracting Officer, F-15 System Program Office, Robins AFB, Ga. As the SpRCOs senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees Space-based research, development and acquisition activities totaling an annual budget in excess of $5 billion for classified space acquisition programs. The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. Certified Acquisition Professional, Level III, Contracting 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. 11. The deployment, which began March 1, is part of an exercise dubbed Agile Reaper 23-1. The RCO was activated by the secretary of the Air Force on April 28, 2003, and is currently overseeing the development of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider in partnership with Northrop Grumman, and the X . 12. 1st. Gen. Jeffery Valenzia, who leads the Air Force's ABMS . He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. Board members also include the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations . . In 2021, Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, said that a first flight in mid-2022 was a "good bet". Mr. Robert D. Eidsmoe is the Deputy Director, Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. 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. 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. NAVSEA Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal SDA is pursuing a constellation of potentially thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to handle everything from target tracking to missile warning. 15. Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (28 pages) Accessible PDF (33 pages) GAO Contacts. The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. In this position, Mr. Roberts serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for the development and fielding of classified critical space 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.