"AFRCO" means the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. CAREER CHRONOLOGY 1. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist's interpretation of the B-21 design. 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. NAVSEA Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal Meritorious Service Medal CAREER CHRONOLOGY He has held various senior Program Manager positions within the Acquisition community. 14. Randall G. Walden, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director and Program Executive Officer for the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C. Program Manager, AFRL Transformational Capabilities Office Dayton, Ohio, United States. 8. Aerial Achievement Medal 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. 4. July 2008July 2009, Commander, Kabul Regional Contracting Center, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan 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. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Their hard work began to pay off as more people volunteered. Read more at National Defense Magazine. 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. August 2011July 2015, Materiel Leader, Strategic Combat Systems, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (DAF RCO) has accelerated methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical combat capabilities. MICHAEL W. ROBERTS. Since neither Russia nor Ukraines air force has been able to achieve air superiority, both sides have turned to drones to augment their capabilities. He also served on multiple headquarters staffs, including Headquarters Air Force. D. Edward Ed Keller, Jr., a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director of Contracting for the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. May 2005 June 2009, Software Certification Senior Systems Engineer, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, Tewksbury, Mass. October 2020present, Deputy Director, 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. 2007 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. CAREER CHRONOLOGY . If we move under the Space Systems Command, we probably should cease to exist, Roberts said. January 2004 May 2005, DDG 1000 IV&V Engineer, Northrup Grumman IT, Dahlgren, Va. Melissa A. Johnson, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Director of the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington, D.C. Alongside the Director, she directs selected study, development and fielding activities tasked directly by the Under Secretary of Defense . 4. AWARDS AND HONORS The Air Force released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet today. 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. Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Jan 09 Aug 11, 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 FL 11. He is the principle advisor to the Director and senior staff on matters concerning the welfare, effective utilization, training, career progression and organizational performance for a diverse team of acquisition and support personnel. Bronze Star Medal 420th FLTS Reactivates to Support B-21 Raider Testing. 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. Executive Director, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, U.S. Department of Defense: 2017-2018: Director and Program Executive Officer, Army Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics: 2014-2017: Deputy Director, Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force: 2009-2014 There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. "We have to go fast," Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. 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 . June 2001May 2003, Acquisition Staff Officer, Contracting Division, Directorate of Logistics and Maintenance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. 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. (Current as of March 2023), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 14. Air Force Achievement Medal 13. During a recent Air Force Association breakfast, the Director and Program Executive Officer for the U.S. Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office touted the progress made on the B-21 Raider program. SDA Taps Raytheon for Seven More Missile-Tracking Satellites, Photos: F-22s Deploy to Tinian for First Time as Part of ACE Exercise, In Message to Force, Austin Touts Once-in-a-Generation Investments, Heres What USAFs Science Board Is Studying Now, Were Weird: New Commander Details Life Inside Task Force 99, Top Pentagon Official: Chinas Air Actions Are Dangerous and Destabilizing, Entire F-35 Fleet to Get Fix for Engine Vibration Issue, Service Will Remain at Heart of King Aerospace No Matter How Aviation and Technology Change, US Set Up Afghans for Failure, With a Force Too Complex to Maintain, IG Says, Air Force Separated 610 Airmen For Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine, USAF Selects Boeings E-7A Wedgetail as Successor to AWACS. The multimode sensor can perform radar, communications, and electronic warfare functions simultaneously. 1st. He served in acquisition command as the . Former AFRL program executive Kelly Hammett on June 6, 2022, took over as director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. EDUCATION 4. 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 . Back then, a second B-21 Raider bomber was under . The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. MakM@gao.gov (202) 512-4841. You will never be allowed to go fast.. 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. Air Force Achievement Medal Society of Flight Test Engineers 3. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. 10. August 1997March 1998, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. Kendall's spokesman said the SAF/SQ office will focus on "the acquisition of space systems and technical capabilities." The Air Force previously had a space policy office led by Shawn Barnes . Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster In this role, she lead 7 distinct manned Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and SOF mobility aircraft programs and developing, procuring, and sustaining intelligence and communication systems for a 91 aircraft fleet. 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. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. 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. by Sandra Erwin June 25, 2018 January 23, 2023 Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1 min read. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Dunlap would continue to oversee on-ramp experiments . The conflict in Ukraine is increasingly emerging as a test bed for new American unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Walden said the Air Force RCO will keep the Orbital Test Vehicle in its own portfolio but will continue to collaborate with the Space RCO. He is responsible for oversight and support of the Air Force SAP and Classified Contracting portfolio at Headquarters Air Force level valued at greater than $40 billion and senior level advocacy and training for 1,100 military and civilian acquisition professionals. 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. Mar 98 - Sep 00, Special Projects Program Manager, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 4. 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. I dont see that changing. said the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, . As Space RCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees space-based research, development and acquisition . 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. Deliveries of the engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, resumed Feb. 18 after nearly a two-month hiatus. Those satellites will join the already-planned 28 satellites in the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer of SDAs Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. 19. We're weird, he said. 3. AFRLs directed energy division has 1,200 employees and an annual budget of $355 million. 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats for combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements leveraging streamlined acquisition methods for developing, acquiring and fielding critical capabilities. The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office . 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. 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. Colonel Johnson directed an 800person team to design critical systems, test effectiveness, interoperability, and field COCOM priorities. Photo: U.S. Air Force/Released. 2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence Your browser is incompatible with this widget. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIAs National Defense . EDUCATION Get top stories, military space news and more delivered to your inbox. 2009 Masters of Science, Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. She rapidly delivered the first operational asset under extreme security constraints and compressed schedule, ensuring warfighter training remained on schedule to support COCOM and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed early deployment. 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. (Current as of November 2020), An official website of the United States government, 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, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. SDA is pursuing a constellation of potentially thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to handle everything from target tracking to missile warning. Air Force Commendation Medal 2007 Meritorious Senior Professional Presidential Rank Award In his previous position as the Director for Development and Integration, PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, he integrated system requirements and resources for combat systems, associated elements and facilitated the execution of effective systems engineering processes for development, integration and developmental test of Navy Surface Combat System capabilities. The DAF RCO delivers capabilities at the speed of emerging threats. Colonel Johnson was one of five Lieutenant Colonels chosen from Air War College to be in the inaugural class of Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF) sponsored Blue Horizons Fellowship, conducting research for the CSAF on competitive strategies, capacities, technology investment, and integrating concepts the Air Force should pursue to prevail across key components of the highly contested environments in 2040. Military aviation and technology are ever-changing, from the prevalence of drones to a shift to jets for special mission surveillance, once the province of propeller aircraft. Northrop Grumman is testing a new multimode, open-architecture RF sensor called "EMRIS" which it hopes will allow for quick, less-costly, and more adaptable sensor upgrades in a variety of systems. 9. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina She also served as the Program Executive Officer Chief Engineer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office where her responsibilities included technical . The Air Forces current service acquisition executive (SAE), Andrew Hunter, revealed in June that the B-21 is actually under budget. Theres a lot of different capabilities that were working right now, and in the future, I see that staying about the same number.. An artist rendering of a B-21 Raider concept in a hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. Theres a lot of interest in reusable space vehicles, and right now, weve gained a lot of information in the decade weve been operating that system.. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS June 2019present, Director of Contracting, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office / Special Access Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. July 2010June 2012, Director, Mission Support Team 1, Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. 10. A U.S. Air Force X-37B space plane, encapsulated ahead of a planned May 16, 2020, launch, the sixth mission for the X-37B program. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2002, serving on the Air Staff as the Director for Information Dominance Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) and Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, prior to his current position. )or https:// means you've safely connected to the .mil website. The U.S. Air Force's top secret spaceplane, the Boeing X-37B, landed in Florida early Sunday after 780 daysover 2 years and one monthin orbit around the . 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. 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. 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. Colonel Melissa A. Johnson is the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Fixed Wing Programs, HQ US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill AFB, FL. Walden had also predicted the first article would fly this summer, but Air Force officials have since walked back that prediction. 6. June 2006June 2008, Operational Manager, Theater Effects Based Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (TEBOACTD), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va. 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 . Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. Director. 2009 - 2013, Director, Information Dominance Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 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. 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. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. The Space RCO Board, Roberts explained, includes the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, the Chief of Staff . National Defense Service Medal This 1,000 member Directorate executes $16 Billion and delivers combat capability to primarily . Office of Public Affairs . (Current as of June 2020), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Mr. Roberts was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2017. 7. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist's interpretation of the B-21 design. It is a reusable, uncrewed spacecraft that carries experiments to orbit, then returns them to Earth for evaluation. As the SpRCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees Space-based research, development and acquisition . 1998 Master of Science in Engineering Management, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio 1998 - 1999, Deputy Chief, Advanced Technology Division, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. (Current as of September 2019), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Background Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The winners will officially receive the honor in a virtual ceremony on Dec. 15, 2021. will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The decision to make the fix to. July 2009July 2010, Project Lead, Integrated Financial Operations, Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Suffolk Va. 15. July 2015July 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 15. This military aviation article is a stub. 11. 1987 Flight Test Engineer Course, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Colonel Johnson also served at the Air Force Research Laboratorys Directed Energy Directorate as the Engineering Test Director and High Power Microwave (HPM) Applications Program Manager.