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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Owning the Technical Baseline
for Acquisition Programs
in the U.S. Air Force

A WORKSHOP REPORT

Committee on Owning the Technical Baseline in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop

Air Force Studies Board

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
                         OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS        500 Fifth Street, NW        Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This is a report of work supported by FA9550-14-1-0127 between the U.S. Air Force and the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, or conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-37431-6
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-37431-6

 

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Copyright 2015 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.nationalacademies.org

 

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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COMMITTEE ON OWNING THE TECHNICAL BASELINE
IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE: A WORKSHOP

HENRY A. “TREY” OBERING III, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chair

CLAUDE M. BOLTON, JR., Defense Acquisition University

MICHAEL D. GRIFFIN, Schafer Corporation

TERRY J. JAGGERS, Decisive Analytics Corporation

GARY A. KYLE, Persistent Agility, Inc.

JON S. OGG, AeroVise, LLC

SUE C. PAYTON, SCI Aerospace, Inc.

RICHARD T. ROCA, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Staff

JOAN FULLER, Director, Air Force Studies Board

CARTER W. FORD, Program Officer

DIONNA C. ALI, Research Assistant

GREGORY EYRING, Senior Program Officer

MARGUERITE E. SCHNEIDER, Administrative Coordinator

 

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
×

AIR FORCE STUDIES BOARD

DOUGLAS M. FRASER, Doug Fraser, LLC, Chair

DONALD C. FRASER, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (retired), Vice Chair

BRIAN A. ARNOLD, Peachtree City, Georgia

ALLISON ASTORINO-COURTOIS, National Security Innovations, Inc.

CLAUDE M. BOLTON, JR., Defense Acquisition University

TED F. BOWLDS, The Spectrum Group

STEVEN R.J. BRUECK, University of New Mexico

THOMAS J. BURNS, Great Falls, Virginia

FRANK J. CAPPUCCIO, Cappuccio and Associates, LLC

BLAISE J. DURANTE, U.S. Air Force (retired)

MELISSA L. FLAGG, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

BRENDAN B. GODFREY, University of Maryland, College Park

MICHAEL A. HAMEL, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

DANIEL E. HASTINGS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

RAYMOND E. JOHNS, JR., FlightSafety International

PAUL G. KAMINSKI, Technovation, Inc.

ROBERT H. LATIFF, R. Latiff Associates

NANCY G. LEVESON, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MARK J. LEWIS, Institute for Defense Analyses Science and Technology Policy Institute

ALEX MILLER, University of Tennessee

OZDEN OCHOA, Texas A&M University

RICHARD V. REYNOLDS, The VanFleet Group, LLC

STARNES E. WALKER, University of Delaware

DEBORAH WESTPHAL, Toffler Associates

DAVID A. WHELAN, Boeing Defense, Space, and Security

REBECCA WINSTON, Winston Strategic Management Consulting

MICHAEL I. YARYMOVYCH, Sarasota Space Associates

Staff

JOAN FULLER, Director

ALAN H. SHAW, Deputy Director

DIONNA C. ALI, Research Assistant

GREGORY EYRING, Senior Program Officer

CARTER W. FORD, Program Officer

CHRIS JONES, Financial Manager

ANDREW J. KREEGER, Program Officer

MARGUERITE E. SCHNEIDER, Administrative Coordinator

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
×

Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Naim Awaad, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command,

R. Stephen Berry, University of Chicago,

Gordon R. England, E6 Partners, LLC,

Millard S. Firebaugh, University of Maryland, College Park,

Paul G. Gaffney II, Monmouth University, and

Kathleen K. Paige, Mark India LLC.

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the views presented at the workshop, nor did they see the final draft of the workshop report before its release. The review of this workshop report was overseen by Chris G. Whipple, ENVIRON (retired). Appointed by the NRC, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this workshop report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the committee and the institution.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Acronyms

A&AS advisory and assistance services
AFLCMC Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
AFMC Air Force Materiel Command
AFRL Air Force Research Laboratory
APT Advanced Pilot Training
   
DCGS Distributed Common Ground Systems
DoD Department of Defense
   
ECSS Expeditionary Combat Support System
EPASS Engineering, Professional, and Administrative Support Services
   
FAB-T Family of Advanced Beyond-Line-of-Sight Terminals
FFRDC federally funded research and development center
FoS Family of Systems
   
ISEC ISR Systems Engineering Center
ISR intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
   
Lab Demo laboratory demonstration
LPTA lowest price technically acceptable
LRSO Long-Range Stand Off
   
NRC National Research Council
   
O&M operations and maintenance
OTB owning the technical baseline
   
PEO program executive officer
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
×
PM program manager
PO program office
   
RDT&E research, development, test, and evaluation
   
S&E science and engineering
SAE service acquisition executive
SAF/AA Secretary of the Air Force, Administrative Assistant
SAF/AQ Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Acquisition
SAF/AQR Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Science, Technology, and Engineering
SAF/FM Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management
SAF/PAO Secretary of the Air Force, Public Affairs Office
SMC Space Missile Command
SPO system program office
   
TSPR total system performance responsibility
   
UARC university affiliated research center
UMD Unit Manpower Document
   
W/G/S/F wings, groups, squadrons, and flights
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2015. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21752.
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The U.S. Air Force has experienced many acquisition program failures - cost overruns, schedule delays, system performance problems, and sustainability concerns - over program lifetimes. A key contributing factor is the lack of sufficient technical knowledge within the Air Force concerning the systems being acquired to ensure success.

To examine this issue, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition requested that the Air Force Studies Board of the National Research Council undertake a workshop to identify the essential elements of the technical baseline - data and information to establish, trade-off, verify, change, accept, and sustain functional capabilities, design characteristics, affordability, schedule, and quantified performance parameters at the chosen level of the system hierarchy - that would benefit from realignment under Air Force or government ownership, and the value to the Air Force of regaining ownership under its design capture process of the future. Over the course of three workshops from November 2014 through January 2015, presenters and participants identified the barriers that must be addressed for the Air Force to regain technical baseline control to include workforce, policy and process, funding, culture, contracts, and other factors and provided a terms of reference for a possible follow-on study to explore the issues and make recommendations required to implement and institutionalize the technical baseline concept. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force summarizes the presentations and discussion of the three workshops.

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