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. January 2017 February 2019, Director, Development and Integration PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Colonel Johnson received her commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in March 1996. She has served as an aerodynamic propulsion analyst at the National Air Intelligence Center where she developed new modeling tools for missile propulsion assessments. Published Aug. 31, 2020. It will slow us down. Knausenberger, who became CIO in August 2020, is set to leave in June. 2014 - present, Director and Program Executive Officer, 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. 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 . January 1995June 1996, Assistant Chief, Operations Group, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. 10. 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. June 2018 - October 2019, Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management . 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. April 2001 January 2004, SPY Element Test Engineer, Northrup Grumman Information Technology, Dahlgren, Va. Chinas Shenzhou-15 astronauts conduct secretive second spacewalk, Raytheon wins $250 million contract for missile-tracking satellites, Nozzle erosion blamed for Vega C launch failure, Rocket Lab reconsidering mid-air recovery of Electron boosters, Astra identifies cause of last failed Rocket 3.3 launch. 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. AWARDS AND HONORS Covering the business and politics of space. OUSD A&S Office News 2021 The conflict in Ukraine is increasingly emerging as a test bed for new American unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Key Operating Principles SecDef visits B-21 facilities in Florida > 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. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Space RCO Presses Forward Amid Reorganization . May 1989October 1990, Contract Negotiator, Operational Contracting Division, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. 1989 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 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. GCW: Space Acquisition Forum - GovConWire Events January 2002June 2003, High Power Microwave Applications Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M. Defense Acquisition Corps 1995 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville The CROWS team, who already have CFTs . June 2014May 2017, Director of Contracting, Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. 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. June 2006June 2008, Operational Manager, Theater Effects Based Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (TEBOACTD), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va. 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. As Space RCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees space-based research, development and acquisition . Pratt & Whitney has developed a fix for F135 engines afflicted with harmonic resonance, which should only take 30 minutes per affected engine to correct, company officials said. 1991 Master of Science, Engineering Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Patuxent River, Md. MELBOURNE, Fla (AFNS) --. 6. 16. 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. 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. Oct 00 - Jan 02, Engineering Test Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB . October 2010 August 2013, Aegis System Engineering / Baseline Development / Strategic Planning Principle Assistant Program Manager, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. It is a reusable, uncrewed spacecraft that carries experiments to orbit, then returns them to Earth for evaluation. 2009 Masters of Science, Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. 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. 8. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. 9. 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. Lt. Col. Joseph Fritschen, the X-37B Program Director at the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, confirmed that "the addition of the service module on OTV-6 allowed us to host . Secretary of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Award Aug 07 Jan 09, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington DC 10. After spending a record-breaking 780 days on orbit, the Boeing system is receiving the National Aeronautic Associations prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for furthering aerospace technology. During Waldens 20-year Air Force career as a flight test engineer, he worked at times on classified projects. We plan on keeping that. The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. We're weird, he said. There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), a direct reporting unit of the U.S. Space Force, has a specialized, restricted and unique mission. The Secretary of the Air Force activated the office on April 28, 2003. 10. Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters EDUCATION 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. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 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. Mr. Walden retired from active duty in 2002 with more than 20 years of military experience as an acquisition and technical professional. July 1995 April 2001, Aegis Fire Controlman First Class, USS Port Royal CG 73, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 6. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office | LinkedIn Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters 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. Full Report. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 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. The Air Forces current service acquisition executive (SAE), Andrew Hunter, revealed in June that the B-21 is actually under budget. The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. 1984 - 1989, Flight Test Engineer, F-16 Combined Test Force, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Air Force Battle Lab accelerates battle management for PACAF, ABMS CFT Aerial Achievement Medal director and program executive officer for the Department of . Mr. Walden graduated from Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Virginia, in 1982. Shank "brings many years of military, government, and commercial industry experience to SCO," the bio states. 14. 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. 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. Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) (Current as of June 2020), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications Technology Acquisition Series #1: Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office CAREER CHRONOLOGY Copyright 2023. 2013 Air War College Non-resident Program, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1. First order of business for Air Force space innovation office: Decide 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. 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. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office - Wikipedia AFRL's new lab to accelerate hybrid space architecture - Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office > United States Space Force > Fact Sheets July 2009July 2010, Project Lead, Integrated Financial Operations, Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk Va. Read more at National Defense Magazine. -- In January, the Department of the Air Force's Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems, or CROWS, worked to expand its existing use of Cyber Focus Teams. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. 10. If we move under the Space Systems Command, we probably should cease to exist, Roberts said. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (28 pages) Accessible PDF (33 pages) GAO Contacts. One program that looks to augment existing spacecraft ground control systems isnt quite as under wraps. 1998 - 1999, Deputy Chief, Advanced Technology Division, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. 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. A blistering, 148-page document by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that Afghan. 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. 420th FLTS Reactivates to Support B-21 Raider Testing. 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. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. Space Rapid Capabilities Office > United States Space Force > Fact Sheets 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. CROWS looks to expand its partnerships > Eglin Air Force Base > Article July 1997June 1998, Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. As the SpRCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees Space-based research, development and acquisition . 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. June 1993January 1995, Assistant Chief, Program and Technical Support Division, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. Rapid Capabilities Office WASHINGTON Kelly Hammett, former head of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate, is now director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. Welcome. 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. 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. Jez Holmes OBE - Head of the Royal Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office Specifically, the office: Organization 1. This 1,000 member Directorate executes $16 Billion and delivers combat capability to primarily . 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. Unit Commendation Medal with three gold stars BRIGADIER GENERAL DALE R. WHITE > Air Force Life Cycle Management - AF Those satellites will join the already-planned 28 satellites in the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer of SDAs Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. 2002 - 2003, Technical Director, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 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. 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. July 2008July 2009, Commander, Kabul Regional Contracting Center, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan The Department of Air Force's chief information officer Lauren Knausenberger will soon depart, the Air Force said Feb. 23. The winners will officially receive the honor in a virtual ceremony on Dec. 15, 2021. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office has been responsible for development and deployment of significant upgrades to the Integrated Air Defense System now operational around the National Capital Region and the launch and experimental operations of the X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle. August 1997March 1998, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist's interpretation of the B-21 design. 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. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence June 2000June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. Ukraine, China, technology, and drug trafficking emerge as top issues in House Intelligence Committee hearing with think tank leaders. 2006 Masters of Science, Software Engineering, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, Va. Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Certified Acquisition Professional, Level III, Contracting 5. 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.. 2008 Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington, D.C. 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. CAREER CHRONOLOGY MICHAEL W. ROBERTS. Is Space Force moving fast enough for its Rapid Capabilities Office? The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and delivers capabilities that require specialized expertise. Mission Mr. Keller graduated from East Carolina University in 1989 and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force the same year. the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. 1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Background June 2004June 2005, Executive Officer, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. July 1996July 1997, Assistant Chief, Spacecraft Contracts Branch, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif. 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. Space RCO Head: Too Soon For Single Acquisition Shop 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. He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 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 . Aug 16 May 17, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB UT 14. 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. 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. Aug 11 Jul 15, Materiel Leader, Strategic Combat Systems, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington DC 12. Col Jeffrey R. LaFleur, USAF > The Eisenhower School > FacBio 3. 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. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and deliver capabilities that require specialized expertise. Michael W. Roberts, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director and Program Executive Officer for The Space Rapid Capabilities Office, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. . Details About X-37B Payload Adapter Revealed After Record-Setting Mission The service could not immediately say whether a successor at the RCO had been determined. Bronze Star Medal Office of Public Affairs . September 2005January 2006, Chief, Theater Contracts Division, Principal Assistant Responsible for ContractingForces, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States. said the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, . EDUCATION 14. The decision to make the fix to. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities.