Integrity  Service  Excellence Challenges of Transitioning Technology to Programs Maj Gen Charles R Davis AAC/CC 3 Sep 09 Air Force Materiel Command

Challenges to Tech Transition 2 Technology Transition to a Program of Record (PoR) is virtually a three-legged stool Legs are identified as –Requirements –Acquisition Program Support –Technology Maturation The imbalance of one leg results in program instability

3 Requirements –Must be in place (ICD, CDD, UON, etc) –Essentially impossible to support any initiative through the POM process without them Acquisition Program Support –Unified MAJCOM, COCOM, SAF/HAF, and Congressional support critical as it goes through POM process –Many great ideas and requirements, but limited budget Every initiative must “buy” it’s way onto the battlefield Developmental Planning--linchpin for program viability Challenges to Tech Transition (cont’d)

Specific Technology Challenges 4 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) –Requirement: Urgent Operational Need (UON) preferred solution in FY07 Solid requirement during FY07-09, however MOP remains a potential QRC on B-2 platform –Technology Maturity: Tech Maturity lower than desired in 07 Today Technology currently matured to an acceptable level –Acquisition Support Challenges: COCOM support, initially no MAJCOM, SAF/HAF, nor Congressional Support MAJCOM and SAF/HAF now onboard, but Congress remains indecisive

Specific Technology Challenges (cont’d) Directed Energy (Counter Electronics) Weapon –High Power Microwave (HPM) Counter Electronics technology being matured to TRL= 6-7 through FY12 via JCTD –Acquisition Program Support Challenges Overcoming limited AF budget and skeptism regarding a true “game-changer” will be a significant challenge to transitioning to a PoR AoA Funding - Development Planning funding, execution year bill, or ACC POM initiative? – No institutional process in place to support AoAs 5

Specific Technology Challenges (cont’d) Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) –USSOCOM ACTD started in Dec Extended User Evaluation (EUE) started in Sep 2008 Goal of military utility assessment of a tactical airborne laser AFSOC to evaluate, educate, and develop CONOPS for lasers –Technical Challenges: Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) - Laser viewed as logistically unsuitable COIL also viewed as potentially hazardous technology –Acquisition Program support Challenges: EUE never funded at level necessary to complete robust eval. –Requirements Challenges: User community looking for future promise of solid state lasers 6

Examples of Acquisition Using Technology to Bridge the Gap New Motors Integrated with AIM 120D Seeker as Interim Capability while JDRADM gains funding support Composite warhead cases integrated on legacy weapons as new low collateral warhead systems evolve Advanced computer power- modeling and simulation technology can replace expensive, high risk flight tests (At end of envelope) 7

Need Better Synergy Between Acq and Tech Community Acquisition Community has expertise to show what role technology can play: –Enhancing performance of existing systems or family of systems –Build long term roadmaps using relatively mature technology as a bridge between legacy aspects of the system and the next evolution Better integrated teams will help move mature technology to programs that already have Acquisition program support –AFRL, DARPA, LLNL, etc. all must be an integral part of the program team 8