News

AF requirements, Robins future top PEO discussions

  • Published
  • By Jenny Gordon
  • Robins Public Affairs
Delivering more Air Force capabilities on time and at less cost was a central message of the 2015 Program Executive Officer Review and Outlook conducted March 26 at the Museum of Aviation.

PEOs from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base traveled here to talk about their respective program portfolios, giving an audience of several hundred the opportunity to hear about certain current and future Air Force requirements so they may more effectively and efficiently respond to those requirements.

With 26,000 people in more than 60 operating locations across the globe, the AFLCMC plays a key role in the total life cycle management of all Air Force aircraft, engines, munitions and electronic systems. Robins is the third-largest AFLCMC location, with about 3,300 personnel assigned here.

An estimated $5 billion was spent from AFLCMC program offices at Robins during fiscal 2014 to support warfighters around the world, according to Lt. Gen. John Thompson, AFLCMC commander.

Thompson opened by talking about the importance of participating in the day's dialogue, and followed that by stressing how entities across the full spectrum of the Air Force work together every day to ensure its missions are performed successfully.

"It's all about teamwork and partnership," he said.

Air Force Sustainment Center Commander Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield also spoke to the gathering.

Since the Air Force Materiel Command reorganization efforts, including the standup of the Air Force Sustainment Center in the summer of 2012, placing more capabilities on the ramp at less cost is one effort that is showing by the numbers, said Litchfield.

"We have put about 20 percent more aircraft back into the fleet in terms of overhaul and modifications. Our MICAPS for field support are down ... our backorders are down, and we've taken about $1.4 billion out of the $16 billion enterprise that we support - so more capability, less cost to the warfighter, and more readiness at less cost. That's the value of our position."

To learn more about partnering with AFSC, Litchfield invited the audience to download the electronic version of his "Art of the Possible" book from the center's website (www.afsc.af.mil) to understand about the center's core doctrine and how it conducts business.

Both Litchfield and Thompson said that while the road ahead is still fraught with challenges, there are numerous opportunities for Air Force Materiel Command organizations to showcase their full capabilities.

"I think we're operating somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of our full potential with everything being perfect," said Litchfield. "What if we doubled that? What it takes is everyone operating under teamwork and everyone owning the outcome ... operating at twice the capabilities we are right now. It's not that far out of reach if we work together as that team."

Litchfield went on to say Robins is currently experiencing a time of record achievement in producing quality aircraft, in its record safety for the workforce, and relations between union and management.

"There's a new day at Robins that's pretty exciting," he said. "It's great to be a part of a winning team, to know that Robins will be strong for a long time to come. When I look into the eyes of everyone associated with Robins, what we do and how we deliver it, I see true patriots."