61-399: The Electronic Systems Center was a product center of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base , Massachusetts. Its mission was to develop and acquire command and control , communications, computer, and intelligence systems. ESC consisted of professional teams specializing in engineering , computer science , and business management . The teams supervised
122-402: A Joint EFX ( JEFX ) in 1999. [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency 42°27′45.30″N 71°16′31.10″W / 42.4625833°N 71.2753056°W / 42.4625833; -71.2753056 Air Force Materiel Command The Air Force Materiel Command ( AFMC ) is a Major Command ( MAJCOM ) of
183-717: A UNIVAC at the AMC headquarters at Wright-Patterson AFB for operation on UNIVAC or IBM computers. An alternative compiler was designed by AMC Programming Services to compile systems on IBM computers for operation on IBM computers. AIMACO, along with FLOW-MATIC and COMTRAN, influenced development of the COBOL programming language. The Atlas program led to the belief that the entire responsibility for deploying new weapons systems – from research, development and testing through procurement and production – should be vested in one command, rather than split between Air Materiel Command (AMC) and ARDC. It
244-537: A new major command. In the reorganization and re-designation actions of 1961, Air Materiel Command was re-designated Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) while Air Research and Development Command, gaining responsibility for weapon system acquisition, was re-designated Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) under General Bernard Schriever . Under the Kennedy Administration , Secretary McNamara instituted powerful centralization tools in acquisition such as
305-687: A post- Cold War , USAF-wide reorganization that resulted in the merger of AFLC and AFSC into a single major command. After AFMC was established, the command's infrastructure saw significant reductions through Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) actions. This included the BRAC-directed closure/privatization of the San Antonio Air Logistics Center at Kelly Air Force Base , Texas and the closure of Kelly Air Force Base as an independent installation, with incorporation of its runways and remaining military flight line areas as
366-754: A second wave of defense efforts—the construction of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) and a survivable new command center for the North American Air Defense Command in the underground Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado. New weapons systems and space platforms led to enlarged ESD C3 programs. ESD’s first radar systems were ground-based, but in the 1960s, the organization expanded into airborne radar systems. In overcoming
427-492: A separate research and development command in 1950. It incorporated Air Proving Ground Command in 1957. On 1 July 1992, AFSC and Air Force Logistics Command were merged to form the Air Force Materiel Command , located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . In the reorganization of 1961, Air Force Systems Command acquired the materiel procurement function from Air Force Logistics Command . It
488-715: Is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command . It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command . The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems. AFSC took on engineering functions which formerly resided in the Air Materiel Command (AMC), the Army Air Forces Technical Service Command (TSC), and the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) as
549-505: Is the Air Force's largest command in terms of funding and second in terms of personnel. AFMC's operating budget represents 31 percent of the total Air Force budget and AFMC employs more than 40 percent of the Air Force's total civilian workforce. The command conducts research, development, testing and evaluation, and provides the acquisition and life cycle management services and logistics support. The command develops, acquires and sustains
610-441: Is the Air Force's nuclear-focused center, synchronizing all aspects of nuclear materiel management in support of Air Force Global Strike Command . Its headquarters are located at Kirtland AFB , New Mexico and it has the following subordinate units. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the Air Force's only organization dedicated to leading the discovery, development and integration of technologies in air, space and cyber for
671-570: The Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) and the Air Armament Center (AAC), will be consolidated into the new Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (LCMC). This, along with other measures, will save up to $ 109 million for the Air Force annually. The new LCMC will be headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB . The highest-ranking officer at Hanscom AFB after the reorganization will be a major general, who will be
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#1732779548015732-568: The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center , which provides centralized management of installation and mission support. The center is located at Joint Base San Antonio , Texas. Air Force Materiel Command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support. AFMC headquarters is the major unit located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . There are also nine additional AFMC host bases. In addition,
793-721: The Air Force Systems Command and the Air Force Logistics Command were merged to form the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). ESD was re-designated the Electronic Systems Center (ESC), and the organization was placed under the new AFMC. Two years later, ESC was enlarged to become the AFMC Center of Excellence for Command and Control, with headquarters at Hanscom. Several geographically separated units were added to
854-529: The Army Air Forces (AAF) were alarmed by many of the new weapons that would revolutionize air warfare which had emerged from foreign laboratories. Radar, jet aircraft ( Messerschmitt Me 262 , Fieseler Fi 103 (V-1 flying bomb) ) and ballistic missiles ( V-2 rocket ) had all either originated or been perfected outside the United States. Congress greatly increased funds for R&D. Subsequently,
915-695: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress intercontinental bomber, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker jet-powered refueling tanker aircraft, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules turboprop transport and the Lockheed U-2 very high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft. In addition, ARDC played a major contribution in the development of Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which became a priority after
976-655: The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber, and a new generation of orbiting Reconnaissance satellites . These programs were the main activities of AFSC during the 1970s. With the Reagan Administration 's military buildup during the 1980s, the pace and scope of Air Force acquisition again escalated. Now the focus centered on the modernization of strategic systems which had atrophied during
1037-659: The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program , Forward Looking Infrared Sensors (FLIR), and Precision-guided munitions all represented significant AFSC contributions to Air Force operations in Southeast Asia. The sustained growth of Soviet power after the Cuban Missile Crisis challenged the entire spectrum of U.S. military capabilities. These factors led to a new wave of Air Force weapons development beginning in
1098-641: The Kelly Field Annex to adjacent Lackland Air Force Base . The Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base was also closed/privatized and McClellan Air Force Base totally closed. McClellan became a totally civilian airport with the exception of Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento and the Air Force Recruiting Service 's 364th Recruiting Squadron. In 2012 there was a major reorganization (5 Center Construct) and several new centers were organized. Among them,
1159-630: The MITRE Corporation (1958) had worked to bring the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) air defense system to completion. The pioneering integrated radar and computer technology that was developed for SAGE also contributed significantly to the development of air traffic control systems. ESD had an original portfolio of thirteen Command, Control and Communications (C3) systems. The appearance of ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads spurred
1220-610: The Program Executive Officer for the C3I and Networks AFPEO. The main purpose of the reorganization is to eliminate excess headquarter and staff type positions throughout AFMC. The ESC deactivation ceremony took place on 16 July 2012 and from that point forward Hanscom AFB was part of the AFLCMC. Fort Franklin ( 42°28′22″N 71°18′12″W / 42.4729°N 71.3033°W / 42.4729; -71.3033 )
1281-832: The Total Package Procurement concept (TPP). This system shifted many major program management functions to the Pentagon. Stressing computer modeling, concurrency, and paper competitions among the contractors, TPP sharply curtailed the flexibility of Systems Command program managers. Cost overruns and serious technical difficulties in such TPP programs as the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark lead to drastic changes in DoD acquisition practices. In 1970, Deputy Secretary of Defense David Packard revised many McNamara policies. He decentralized
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#17327795480151342-534: The United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Command (AFSC). AFMC is headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton , Ohio . AFMC is one of nine Air Force Major Commands and has a workforce of approximately 80,000 military and civilian personnel. It
1403-588: The Wright Military Flyer of 1909 . USAAF / USAF aircraft Research and Development (R&D) was merged with aircraft procurement twice in the 20th century (e.g., 1944, 1992). Air Materiel Command was established on March 9, 1946, and in November 1946, AMC's History Office published Materiel Research and Development in the Army Air Arm, 1914-1945 . In 1947, AMC bases were transferred to
1464-568: The Air Age , in January 1948. It set forth a new concept of airpower, i.e., a powerful peacetime force able to counter any enemy air attack. The Finletter Report inspired a group of senior USAF officers with backgrounds in engineering and related fields to analyze the existing R&D organization. Their findings, and the salesmanship of Generals Jimmy Doolittle and Donald Putt , convinced Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt S. Vandenberg to put
1525-769: The Air Force Sustainment Center at Tinker Air Force Base now directs the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base , the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force Base , and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex at Robins Air Force Base . The center provides depot maintenance, supply chain management and installation support. In 2015, the command officially activated its sixth center,
1586-847: The Air Force, ESC works with other branches of the United States Department of Defense , the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and foreign governments. Due to AFMC restructuring ESC was inactivated on 1 October 2012. ESC was originally activated as
1647-520: The ESC. ESC was the home of most of the new command and control technologies being sent to the war, but was getting a bad reputation for the lack of quality in the systems sent to the war. He decided to hold a technical exercise to emulate a deployed headquarters using the equipment ESC was producing, and test the reports. The technical exercise went live in July 1994. The encampment used a patch of grass near
1708-738: The Electronic Systems Division (ESD) on 1 April 1961 at Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA . ESD was placed under the newly established Air Force Systems Command . The Electronic Systems Division had emerged after a decade of efforts to meet a major post-war threat to the North American continent—attack by long-range, nuclear-armed bombers. At Hanscom Field, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ’s new Lincoln Laboratory (1951) and later
1769-678: The Materiel Division of the newly established Army Air Corps in October 1926, it undertook the procurement, supply and maintenance activities of Army aviation. American aviation development fell behind its European rivals after the mid-1930s when Germany started a continental arms race. The threat of war at the decade's end began to change the situation. During the late 1930s American industry spent over $ 100 million annually on aviation research. University grants grew and military personnel enrollment in science courses increased. Leaders of
1830-584: The R&;D mission on a more equal footing with the operational Air Force. Accordingly, and in the face of intense Air Staff opposition, on 23 January 1950, the Research and Development Command (RDC) came into being. Eight months later it was re-designated the Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) as a separate organization devoted strictly to research and development. Research and Development Command
1891-522: The US Air and Space Forces. Its headquarters are located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio and it has the following subordinate units. The mission of the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) is to provide sustainment and logistics readiness. The center provides integrated logistics and sustainment to the Air Force through depot maintenance, supply chain management and installation support. Its headquarters are located at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma and it has
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1952-491: The Vietnam era and afterward. But increased activity and defense spending brought acquisition reform issues to the forefront. Cost, schedule, and quality problems troubled some major weapons programs. Media stories about spare parts overpricing and questionable contractor overhead charges created a national sensation. This negative publicity, coupled with soaring federal deficits and reductions in domestic spending, contributed by
2013-695: The acquisition system and reemphasized prototyping in weapons development. As the Vietnam War dominated the late 1960s and early 1970s, AFSC focused on quick solutions to the needs of operational units in the Southeast Asia (SEA) war zone. Areas such as Electronic warfare (ECM) ( Douglas EB-66 Destroyer ) were greatly expanded in response to the North Vietnamese Surface-to-air missile (SAM) air defense systems. The modification of transports ( AC-130 Hercules , AC-119 Flying Boxcar ) into gunships, improved reconnaissance sensors,
2074-582: The air power needed to defend the United States and its interests. This is accomplished through research, development, testing, evaluation, acquisition, maintenance and program management of existing and future USAF weapon systems and their components. The United States Armed Forces procurement of military aircraft began when the United States Army 's Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps (United States Army) , acquired several examples of
2135-539: The center. At one time, the 66th Air Base Wing , 350th Electronic Systems Wing , 551st Electronic Systems Wing , 554th Electronic Systems Wing , and 653d Electronic Systems Wing all reported to the ESC Commander. Since the later years of the Cold War , ESC worked to upgrade its key radar , command center, and communications systems. The decade of the 1990s presented new challenges for the expanded Center in
2196-541: The command operates associate units and tenant activities on several non-AFMC bases, including the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base , New Mexico . The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC) serves as the single intermediate-level headquarters responsible for providing installation and mission support capabilities. Its headquarters are located at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland , Texas and it has
2257-570: The defense industrial base. On 26 April 1984 the vice-commander of AFSC, Lieutenant General Robert M. Bond , was killed during a retirement visit to the 6513th Test Squadron at Groom Lake while flying a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 at over Mach 2. During this turbulent period, new and updated weapons systems continued to join the USAF. The B-1B Lancer was delivered to SAC in record time, though with significant problems that would hamper its service career for some time. Stealth technology found its way to
2318-578: The definition of a high level programming language influenced by the UNIVAC Flow-Matic and COMTRAN programming languages. The draft AIMACO language definition was developed by an AMC-chaired committee of industry representatives from IBM , United States Steel , and AMC Programming Services. AIMACO had two compilers specified/designed (never produced), and AMC originally intended all programming for AMC systems would be in AIMACO and compiled on
2379-921: The design, development, testing, production, and deployment of command and control systems. Two of ESC's most well-known developments were the Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), developed in the 1970s, and the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), developed in the 1980s. The Electronic Systems Center served into five decades as the Air Force's organization for developing and acquiring Command and Control (C2) systems. As of December 2004, ESC managed approximately two hundred programs ranging from secure communications systems to mission planning systems. ESC had an annual budget of over $ 3 billion and more than eighty-seven hundred personnel. In addition to
2440-503: The development of network-centric warfare and provide an asymmetric force advantage. The ESC pursued a major initiative to standardize and upgrade C2ISR capabilities at Air Operations Centers , with the goal of realizing the Aerospace Operations Center of the future. Due to a major AFMC restructuring announced on 2 November 2011, ESC was to be inactivated no later than 1 October 2012. The role of ESC, along with
2501-462: The end of the runway . Using tents, trailers, and communication vans inside a guarded perimeter, the area was quickly dubbed “Fort Franklin.” It was staffed by engineers from every program office and a few junior military. Major Steve Zenishek, with recent Gulf War experience, became the installation “commander” and was able to show off that the great capability indeed worked fine alone, but unfortunately didn't work well with others. Rather than take
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2562-735: The engineering function resided in the Materiel Command, the AAF Technical Service Command, the Air Technical Service Command, and the Air Materiel Command. The war had shown the destructiveness of aerial attack and made Arnold an aggressive advocate for aeronautical research. On 7 November 1944, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold , Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, directed the AAF Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) to study
2623-646: The expertise that had created this success, LtGen Franklin established an ongoing experimentation facility at Hanscom known as the Command & Control (C2) Unified Development Environment (CUBE). CUBE was later renamed the C2 Engineering and Integration Facility (CEIF). The experience of Fort Franklin was instrumental in development in 1997 of the Air Force's major experiment, the Expeditionary Force Experiment (EFX 98), which became
2684-440: The failure as a defeat, General Franklin used it to encourage the staff to rebuild the systems under development to interoperate . Subsequently, by the time the second Fort Franklin occurred on 1–16 May 1995, the systems were beginning to communicate. For the first time, the results of calculations performed by one system were transferred automatically to another system for further interpretation or processing. Not wanting to lose
2745-473: The following subordinate units. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's (AFLCMC) mission is to deliver affordable and sustainable combat capabilities to US and international partners. It is the single center responsible for total life cycle management of all aircraft, engines, munitions, and electronic systems. Its headquarters are located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio and it has the following subordinate units. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC)
2806-447: The following subordinate units. The Air Force Test Center (AFTC) conducts developmental and follow-on testing and evaluation of crewed and uncrewed aircraft and related avionics, flight-control, munitions, and weapon systems. Its headquarters are located at Edwards AFB, California and it has the following subordinate units. U.S. Armed Forces systems commands Air Force Systems Command The Air Force Systems Command ( AFSC )
2867-493: The form of regional conflicts, joint and coalition engagements, terrorism, and asymmetric warfare . In response, ESC developed programs to work towards integration and interoperability in C2 systems. By presenting systems in action via several interactive C2 demonstrations, ESC engaged in ongoing dialogue with its customers. The Center then undertook a major restructure of its acquisition processes starting in 1996. “ Spiral development ”
2928-497: The insertion of new C2 and information technology. At the same time, its work on standardizing C2 infrastructure and creating architectures laid the groundwork for further system integration. In 2001, the Air Force gave ESC the lead responsibility to integrate its command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems—the C2 Enterprise Integration. Integrated C2ISR capabilities will enable
2989-718: The late 1960s. Systems Command found itself managing a broad array of new tactical and strategic programs including the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle , General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground support aircraft, the LGM-118 Peacekeeper , the AGM-86 (air) and BGM-109 (ground) cruise missiles, the Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System,
3050-409: The latter's supply and maintenance roles. The material procurement role was transferred. On the same date, Air Force Systems Command was also established at Andrews Air Force Base , Maryland, assuming the R&D role of the former Air Research and Development Command while also inheriting AMC's materiel procurement role. Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) was activated on July 1, 1992, as part of
3111-451: The middle of the decade to a political backlash against Ronald Reagan's military programs. The situation gave enormous political impetus to reductions of defense spending and an overhaul of the nation's military establishment, including its weapons acquisition practices. AFSC led the way for acquisition improvements with greater reliance on multi-year contracting to stabilize weapons programs and increased investment in modernization programs for
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#17327795480153172-431: The newly established United States Air Force , with facilities such as the storage depot in Maywood, California , being renamed Cheli Air Force Station . On April 1, 1961, as part of the DoD reorganization under President John F. Kennedy and his Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara , the Air Force Logistics Command was established at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , replacing the Air Materiel Command and assuming
3233-420: The ramps in the form of the F-117 Nighthawk fighter-bomber and the B-2 Spirit bomber. After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster , AFSC helped restore the nation's space launch capability by quickly making available a family of new expendable launch vehicles such as the Delta II . Major gains were made in operational readiness rates through the Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) 2000 program. With
3294-484: The technological achievements of America's wartime allies and provide a blueprint for large-scale research and development of science and advanced technology for the Air Force. However, the Army Air Forces needed to achieve independence, which it did on 18 September 1947, with its transition into an independent United States Air Force . Also, the role of the Air Force in the postwar world had to be defined. The 1948 Finletter Commission published its report, Survival in
3355-475: The world learned that the Soviet Union had detonated a thermonuclear (hydrogen) bomb on 23 August 1953. A crash program was employed which developed America's first ICBM (the SM-65D Atlas ), that became operational in 1959. In terms of importance, resources, and success, the ICBM program was rivaled only by the famed Manhattan Project of World War II. AIMACO , the "Supply Control Command compiler" for Ai r Ma teriel Co mmand, began circa 1959 with
3416-622: The “ground clutter” problem, the 1970s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) represented a technological achievement for airspace surveillance. It was joined in the later 1980s by the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS). While still under development, Joint STARS was pressed into service for the Gulf War to monitor movement on the battlefield. Other ESD programs focused on creating secure communications systems, air defense systems for allied nations, command centers, intelligence data transmission, air traffic control systems, and computer-based training systems. In 1992,
3477-460: Was an on-base encampment in the 1990s used for the purpose of testing new technology. The ESC had developed many of the radars and sensors used by military aircraft , and had created many of the command and control systems. However, when these systems were deployed for Operation Desert Storm , many did not work as advertised or communicate information to one another. In October 1993, Lieutenant General Charles E. Franklin took over as Commander of
3538-482: Was introduced to achieve state-of-the-art systems in a timely, flexible, and cost-effective approach. The pace of these initiatives had gained momentum by the start of the 21st century. The ESC developed automated systems for Air Tasking Orders , weather, mission planning, and management information, together with enhanced force protection for Air Force personnel on the ground. For the series of Joint Expeditionary Force Experiments (JEFX) starting in 1998, ESC managed
3599-480: Was re-integrated with Air Force Logistics Command in 1992. The origins of Air Force Systems Command date at least to the establishment of the Airplane Engineering Department by the Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army, on 13 October 1917 at McCook Field , Ohio. Re-designated the Engineering Division of the U.S. Army Air Service in March 1919, this organization carried out the research, development and testing of military aircraft, engines, airships and accessories. Renamed
3660-414: Was redesignated the Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) on 16 September 1950, and the Arnold Engineering Development Center was dedicated by President Harry S. Truman on 25 June 1951. During the 1950s, the new command began to make its mark. ARDC developed many ambitious aircraft and missile prototypes. Among the successes of this period were the North American F-86 Sabre swept wing fighter,
3721-418: Was the Soviet Union 's launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957 that greatly influenced HQ USAF and ARDC thinking. The Stever Report , completed in June 1958, which proposed a new Air Force command for weapons acquisition. With this report and a realization of DoD's desire to assign the military space mission to the Air Force, the Air Force won the approval of Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara in 1961 for
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