The office preserves the strength of U.S. ingenuity and innovation without the rigidity of traditional acquisition. Your browser is incompatible with this widget. Mr. Keller retired from active duty as a colonel in 2017. Director of Contracting, DAF Rapid Capabilities Office and Air Force Special Access Programs (SES) United States Air Force Jun 2019 - Present 3 years 9 months "The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the . 2013 Air War College Non-resident Program, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Ukraine, China, technology, and drug trafficking emerge as top issues in House Intelligence Committee hearing with think tank leaders. Director. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office procures commercial and classified technologies for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Clipboard (Opens in new window). Society of Flight Test Engineers Randall G. Walden, head of the Air Force's 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 DOD's acquisition and sustainment chief, William A. LaPlante. July 2010June 2012, Director, Mission Support Team 1, Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. Mr. Keller graduated from East Carolina University in 1989 and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force the same year. Photo: U.S. Air Force/Released. Colonel Johnson directed an 800person team to design critical systems, test effectiveness, interoperability, and field COCOM priorities. 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. 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. 8. Aerial Achievement Medal 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. 20. Aug 97 - Mar 98, Special Projects Engineer, 28th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB FL 3. August 2016May 2017, Chief, Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Integration, Intercontinental Ballistics Systems Division, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah Walden had also predicted the first article would fly this summer, but Air Force officials have since walked back that prediction. 8. He is responsible for the development, production, fielding, sustainment and modernization of the Air Force fighter portfolio, which includes the A-10, A-29, F-15, F-16, F-22 and special programs . Ive talked to Gen. Raymond about that multiple times, and the Secretary of the Air Force, Walden said. June 2001May 2003, Acquisition Staff Officer, Contracting Division, Directorate of Logistics and Maintenance, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. 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. Robertss team could ask the Air Force RCO to test payloads on the spaceplane that would eventually fly on satellites or other spacecraft. June 2000June 2001, Commander, Technology/Advisory Services Acquisition Flight, Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. The deployment, which began March 1, is part of an exercise dubbed Agile Reaper 23-1. Pentagon leaders and cleared members of Congress alike have lauded the B-21 as a well-run program. The Defense Acquisition Workforce is comprised of nearly 186,000 civilian and military professionals from the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as defense agencies and field activities. The Air Force had once projected the first flight of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider would occur in December 2021, . 10. The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. 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. Board members also include the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations . said the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, . Read more at National Defense Magazine. Boeing will build a prototype E-7A Wedgetail air battle management aircraft for the U.S. Air Force under a $1.2 billion contract awarded Feb. 28, the service announced. Their hard work began to pay off as more people volunteered. 2013 DAWIA Program Management and System Planning, Research, Development and Engineering Level III Certifications 16. . CROWS looks to expand its partnerships. by Sandra Erwin June 25, 2018 January 23, 2023 Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Jun 17 - present, Program Executive Officer, Fixed-Wing, Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB FL MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Two Oak Leaf Cluster Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal DATES OF PROMOTIONS Second Lieutenant Mar 1996 First Lieutenant Mar 1998 Captain Mar 2000 Major Mar 2006 Lieutenant Colonel Apr 2011 Colonel Apr 2017 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) Test and Evaluation, Level II APDP Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering, Level II, APDP. 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. While assigned to the 28th Test Squadron, she was a special projects engineer and program manager for classified electronic warfare and command and control test activities. Key Operating Principles The Board of Directors tasks the office directly to address immediate and near-term operational needs and delivers capabilities that require specialized expertise. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper, visited the B-21 Raider design and development headquarters at Northrop Grumman, to witness the progress being made on the nation's most cutting edge dual-capable stealth bomber. Air Force Achievement Medal 7. WASHINGTON Kelly Hammett, former head of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate, is now director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. The Directorate directs the modernization and sustainment of the Air Force's 150+ aircraft bomber fleet (B-1, B-2, B-52) and organizes, trains and equips the B-21 program in support of Air Force Global Strike Command and the United States Air Force. 9. 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. As Space RCO's senior acquisition officer, Mr. Roberts is responsible for and oversees space-based research, development and acquisition . 2007 Meritorious Senior Professional Presidential Rank Award August 2011July 2015, Materiel Leader, Strategic Combat Systems, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. MICHAEL W. ROBERTS. 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. . 1982 Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Va. 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. 15. Deliveries of the engine, which powers the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, resumed Feb. 18 after nearly a two-month hiatus. 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. Space RCO is a relatively small office filled with people who love what they do in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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. In his PEO capacity, he is responsible for the development and delivery of multi-billion dollar Acquisition Category-1 equivalent programs that provide operationally dominate Space Capabilities that strategically enhance the Nations warfighting capabilities and dominance in the Space domain. 2002 - 2003, Technical Director, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 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. May 2002September 2002, Theater Head of Contracting, NATO Stabilization Forces, NATO Headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina EDUCATION Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. June 2009 October 2010, DDG 1000 Combat Systems TD, NAVSEA05H, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 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. 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 2022 National Defense Strategy and Future Force Structure June 2017July 2020, Program Executive Officer, Fixed Wing, Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. The office responds to Combat Air and Space Forces and combatant command requirements. "We have to go fast," Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS He served in a variety of roles, leading contracting operations in support of space and aircraft systems acquisition, installation and specialized support, and contingency operations in three different theaters. 2013 - 2014, Director, Air Force Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 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. Office of Public Affairs . March 1996August 1997, Aerodynamic Propulsion Analyst, National Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Center for Rapid Innovation Deputy Director at Air Force Research Laboratory 15. 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. The Office is . The Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), a direct reporting unit of the U.S. Space Force, has a specialized, restricted and unique mission. Aug 07 Jan 09, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Air University, Washington DC 10. 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. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 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. 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. 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. 14. In March 2021, the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office presented a brief to GAO that further defined these roles, and established responsibilities of their office. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist's interpretation of the B-21 design.