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. Its not the fault of the commander or anybody else at Space Systems Command, its just because youre adding two to three layers of bureaucracy and decision-making on top of my current organization. 2003 Senior Executive Service Seminar, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Less than 200 personnel assigned to the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office rapidly develop capabilities to outpace and counter the increasing threats of adversaries. 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications June 2014May 2017, Director of Contracting, Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) Walden has reported that six B-21s are in construction at Northrop Grummans Palmdale, Calif., plant and that the first one will likely roll out in 2022. A space solar power program that fell under the former Operationally Responsive Space office is transitioning to the Air Force Research Laboratory instead. 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. 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. It will slow us down. CROWS looks to expand its partnerships. 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. One of its first projects was to deploy significant upgrades to the Integrated Air Defense System, now operational around the National Capital Region, to meet critical counter-terrorism objectives before the January 2005 Presidential Inauguration Day. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS June 15, 2022. 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. Published Aug. 31, 2020. Get top stories, military space news and more delivered to your inbox. Alongside the director, he directs contracting activities executing $4 billion a year for . 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. 11. We're weird, he said. The Space RCO, which speedily develops cutting-edge technologies at the request of Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Jay Raymond, handles capabilities that go in, from, and to space, with less bureaucracy and more flexibility than typical research programs, Space RCO Director Michael W. Roberts said during a virtual Aug. 13 Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies event. 5. May 1989October 1990, Contract Negotiator, Operational Contracting Division, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Were working at it as a rapid acquisition program to build some algorithms to help with ground processing, Roberts said. Previously, Mr. Keller served as Associate Executive Director for Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Director of Contracting at the Air Force District of Washington, and as Chief, Contracting Operations Division for the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition (Contracting), the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Staff photo by Mike Tsukamoto. 1. 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. Key operating principles of the DAF RCO include a short and narrow chain of command, early and prominent war-fighter involvement, and funding stability. June 2018 - October 2019, Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management . Additionally, Mr. Keller is Director of Contracting, Air Force Special Access Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. 3. The secretive Space Rapid Capabilities Offices workload has taken shape two years after its inception, as the space research and development enterprise changes around it. Marie A. Mak. As a. 1987 Flight Test Engineer Course, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Jun 03 - Jun 04, Chief, Asymmetric Capabilities Development Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington DC 7. Unit Commendation Medal with three gold stars Brown Jr.).The Air Staff is primarily composed of uniformed U.S. Air Force officials who assist the . Air Force Commendation Medal Theres a lot of different capabilities that were working right now, and in the future, I see that staying about the same number.. June 2003June 2004, Chief, Asymmetric Capabilities Development Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. Her final assignment to cap off a 24-year active-duty career was as the Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing Programs, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command where she was responsible for more than 100 special operation forces acquisition programs. the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. LaPlante, formerly the Air Forces acquisition executive, put Walden and the RCO in charge of B-21 development in 2015, when the Air Force selected Northrop Grumman to build what was then called the Long-Range Strike Bomber. Jun 05 Jul 07, Chief, Offensive Capabilities Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington DC 9. 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 . June 2005July 2007, Chief, Offensive Capabilities Branch, Rapid Capabilities Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters of the Air Force, Arlington, Va. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Mr. Walden graduated from Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Virginia, in 1982. The Space RCO replaced the ORS office at Congress direction. In November 2020, the Air Force tapped the Rapid Capabilities Office to manage ABMS procurement and create the effort's acquisition strategy. The Space RCO Board, Roberts explained, includes the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, the Chief of Staff . 2017 Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . The Space RCO appears to have settled on a slate of initiatives that will keep it occupied. Their work is critical to driving competitive . . March 2015 January 2017, Surface Ships Weapons Duty Major Program Manager, Arlington, Va. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. 6. 9. Air Force Achievement Medal 10. It is a reusable, uncrewed spacecraft that carries experiments to orbit, then returns them to Earth for evaluation. Full Report. 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. -- 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. The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office procures commercial and classified technologies for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command by Sandra Erwin June 14, 2022 January 23, 2023 Click to share on . 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 for Acquisition and Sustainment, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations, the Assistant Secretary for the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, and the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration. 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. January 1995June 1996, Assistant Chief, Operations Group, Defense Contract Management Command, Orlando, Fla. June 2009 October 2010, DDG 1000 Combat Systems TD, NAVSEA05H, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 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.. After working on Capitol Hill, Colonel Johnson served as the Director, Non-Standard Aircraft Systems at the Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing Aircraft, United States Special Operations Research, Development, and Acquisition Center (SORDAC), Headquarters, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB. 2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence CAREER CHRONOLOGY This 1,000 member Directorate executes $16 Billion and delivers combat capability to primarily . 11. January 2017 February 2019, Director, Development and Integration PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Mar 96 - Aug 97, Aerodynamic Propulsion Analyst, National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 2. 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. August 2011July 2015, Materiel Leader, Strategic Combat Systems, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. 4. 7. An artist rendering of a B-21 Raider concept in a hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. 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. Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) AWARDS AND HONORS 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. The DAF RCO is staffed with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. The Office is . 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 . September 2018June 2019, Associate Executive Director, Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. 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. 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. (Current as of June 2020), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. D. Edward 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. . One of its first projects was to deploy significant upgrades to the Integrated Air Defense System, now operational around the National Capital Region, to meet critical counter-terrorism objectives before the January 2005 Presidential Inauguration Day. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS Michael W. Roberts, Director and Program Executive Officer for The Space Rapid Capabilities Office Video. 10. Colonel Johnson directed an 800person team to design critical systems, test effectiveness, interoperability, and field COCOM priorities. 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. 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. The Department of Air Force's chief information officer Lauren Knausenberger will soon depart, the Air Force said Feb. 23. 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.. The U.S. created an Afghan air force that was too technologically advanced for its native country to sustain, then pulled the rug out from under it, according to a U.S. government inspector general report. 6. In December 2018, its mission was expanded and its name changed to the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. We plan on keeping that. Maj. Scott Drerup (left), Space Rapid Capabilities Office program manager, Dr. Kelly Hammett (middle), Space Rapid Capabilities Office director and program and executive officer, and Col. Jason Vattioni (right), 377th Air Base Wing and installation commander, render salutes during the arrival of U.S. Space Force Gen. David T. Thompson, Vice Chief of Space Operations, at . Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. MakM@gao.gov (202) 512-4841. We dont necessarily have that same construct.. Welcome. 10. 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. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. The service could not immediately say whether a successor at the RCO had been determined. Two F130s housed in a twin-engine nacelle are mounted on a test stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss., where they will perform crosswind and engine control tests, Rolls program director Scott Ames said.. 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. July 2008July 2009, Commander, Kabul Regional Contracting Center, Joint Contracting Command - Iraq/Afghanistan, Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency handles similar initiatives that can transition to the Space RCO as well. Military Instructor. MELBOURNE, Fla (AFNS) --. The winners will officially receive the honor in a virtual ceremony on Dec. 15, 2021. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. To me, thats the most important piece, Walden said. 14. The 2022 National Defense Strategy and Future Force Structure The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. Hammett will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. We were pleased to have U.S. Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David D. Thompson preside over the assumption of leadership . [Our approach] is a little bit different, Roberts said. The Pentagon has named Chris Shank, a former NASA official, as director of the Strategic Capabilities Office, according to a biography posted to the Defense Department's website. More by Sandra Erwin. (Current as of September 2019), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 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. 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.