Pre-Milestone A and Early-Phase Systems Engineering A Retrospective Review and Benefits for Future Air Force Systems Acquisition (2008) / Chapter Skim
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3 Systems Engineering Workforce
3 Systems Engineering Workforce
Pages 52-74
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From page 52... ...
As acquisition programs continue to evolve from individual systems to systems of systems, this shortage will only become more acute. For the Air Force to be a "smart buyer" of systems and systems modification programs, its personnel must be well trained to supervise and critically evaluate progress in the various programs.
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From page 53... ...
For example, universities such as Stanford University, Georgia Tech, and the California Institute of Technology have exceptional programs in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, and industrial engineering that include aspects of systems engineering. Program Budget Decision 720, entitled "Air Force Transformation Flight Plan," was issued on December 28, 2005, by the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)
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From page 54... ...
Some of these companies have emphasized systems engineering training for less than a decade, while others have been involved in it for as long as 30 years. The discussion below summarizes common themes that emerged from the interviews.
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From page 55... ...
The foundation for a good systems engineer is his or her academic training in a technical area (e.g., aeronautical engi neering, electrical engineering, or software engineering) , augmented by OJT.
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From page 56... ...
and non-ESC Air Force organizations, and approximately 46 percent of its total ceiling for FY 2007. Data on both the Aerospace Corporation and the MITRE Corporation were provided in a private communication on April 4, 2007, between the committee and Michael Kratz, Chief of Acquisition Workforce Policy and Resources at SAF/AQX.
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From page 57... ...
The Genesis of the Air Force Center for Systems Engineering In the spring of 2002, while meeting with the commander of the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) and later with the commandant of the AFIT, Secretary of the Air Force Roche directed that an organization be created to help strengthen the Air Force's systems engineering capabilities.
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From page 58... ...
This goal includes the development of systems engineering case studies; graduate programs; seminars, workshops, and short courses on systems engineering and architecture; and initiatives to provide accessibility to these programs at key locations throughout the Air Force. The Air Force CSE has delivered on the goals outlined above and has published comprehensive case studies on programs that include the C-5, F-111, H ubble Space Telescope, Theater Battle Management Core System, B-2, and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)
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From page 59... ...
U.S. Air Force Academy Training in Systems Engineering and Systems Engineering Management The Air Force Academy has two systems engineering majors: systems engineering and systems engineering management (SEM)
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From page 60... ...
and Systems Engineering Management (SEM) Were Assigned CL2006 CL2007a Class SE SEM SE SEM 32E1G Civil Engineer 1 33S1 Communications and Information 2 3 3 61S1A Scientist 1 3 62xxx Development Engineer 2 9 63xxx Acquisition Manager 1 9 10 92M1 Medical Student 1 92T0 Pilot Trainee 19 45 29 53 92T1 Navigator Trainee 1 1 3 1 Army 1 13M1 Air Field Operations 1 2 13S1 Space and Missile 1 4 41A1 Health Services Administrator 1 64P1 Contracting 1 5 65F1 Financial Management 2 5 65W1 Cost Analysis 1 21A1 Aircraft Maintenance 1 2 4 21R1 Logistics Readiness 1 14N1 Intelligence 3 Total 32b 68 43 91 aClass of 2007 assignments are projected.
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From page 61... ...
Current Inventory of Air Force Officers Assigned and Trained in the Scientist, Engineer, and Acquisition manager Career Fields Systems engineering expertise derives from initial academic training to obtain domain expertise, postgraduate training to deepen domain experience, postgraduate training to learn how to use systems engineering management tools, and hands-on experience in program development and management. The formal training for systems engineers and the overt recognition of the importance of SE as an Air Force competency is a relatively recent occurrence.
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From page 62... ...
Further, this type of search does not reveal if a person so trained has had any successful hands-on experience in the application of systems engineering principles. Air Force Civilian Systems Engineering Positions Most of the engineering positions in the Air Force are in the materiel and space commands (AFMC and AFSPC, respectively)
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From page 63... ...
There are undoubtedly other engineers, occupying positions lower than these critical engineering positions, who are performing some systems engineering tasks in nonleadership roles; however, it would be extremely difficult to break them out because the Air Force has no position identifier for "systems engineering." Thus, this discussion is limited to positions of systems engineering leadership.
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From page 64... ...
• Director of engineering. Senior engineer/technical authority responsible for multiple chief or lead engineering positions; ensures programs under their purview are addressing OSS&E; ensures chief and lead engineers assigned to systems/end items within their organization are executing their responsibilities appropriately; fulfills chief engineer responsibilities for systems/end items without an assigned chief engineer.
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From page 65... ...
Individuals in the chief engineer, director of engineering, and technical director positions probably are doing work at the systems level and thus are performing systems engineering leadership tasks. As of March 2007, AFMC had 231 of these critical engineering positions, with 180 at product centers and the remaining 51 at logistics centers.
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From page 66... ...
Following low retention years in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Air Force offered its scientists and engineers retention bonuses and increased the S&E accession levels well above what was required on a steady-state basis to maintain a healthy force. These efforts had a dramatic effect between 2001 and 2005, increasing the manning of these career fields as shown in Table 3-5.
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From page 67... ...
Table 3-6 Current and Projected Cuts in Air Force Science and Engineering Personnel Resulting from Program Budget Decision 720 61S (Scientist) 62E (Engineer)
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From page 68... ...
. In the FY 1997 Defense Authorization Act, Congress directed an acquisition workforce reduction of an additional 15,000 in Section 902 of the act: SEC.
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From page 69... ...
The compromise reached on the downsizing of the defense acquisition workforce (previously, the FY 1998 House Authorization Bill contained a provision that would have mandated a reduction of 124,000 personnel by October 1, 2001, but the Senate bill omitted any provisions) was to require a reduction of 25,000 defense acquisition workforce personnel in FY 1998; included in this bill are provisions that grant authority to the Secretary of Defense to waive up to 15,000 of the 25,000, based on his assessment that a greater reduction would "be inconsistent with cost-effective management of the defense acquisition workforce system to obtain best value equipment and would adversely affect military readiness." The FY 1999 Defense Authorization Act directed the administration to reduce the workforce by 25,000 acquisition personnel by October 1, 1999, lowering it to 12,500 personnel if the Secretary of Defense certifies that such a reduction would cause an adverse effect on military readiness or management of the acquisition system.
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From page 70... ...
Although these students will not be qualified to be practicing systems engineers upon graduation from the Air Force Academy, their Air Force Academy training will have instilled in them an appreciation for what systems engineering means and for its importance. It is important that the Academy work with the Air Force Personnel Center regarding assignments of its graduates so that the Air Force can capitalize on the cadets' SE training.
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From page 71... ...
plays an important role in informing the government regarding what is possible or not. Government's challenges are to understand and manage programs and ensure that the contractors and the program offices have well-designed and fully integrated systems engineering plans (SEPs)
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From page 72... ...
The creation of a robust systems engineering process is critically dependent on having experienced systems engineers with adequate knowledge of the domain relevant to a contemplated program. While the systems engineering process is, broadly, reusable, it depends on having domain experts who are aware of what has gone wrong (and right)
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From page 73... ...
One important step in this process would be to create an Air Force occupational code for systems engineering so that engineers' experience and education can be tracked and managed more effectively. The Air Force should support an internal systems engineering career track that rewards the mentoring of junior systems engineering personnel, provides engineers with broad systems engineering experience, provides appropriate financial compensation to senior systems engineers, and enables an engineering career path into program management and operations.
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From page 74... ...
Working together, government and industry can develop and explore solutions using systems engineering methodology to arrive at an optimal systems solution.
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