Dominant Air Power: Design For Tomorrow…Deliver Today 1 648th Aeronautical Systems Squadron Jason P. Hale, Maj, USAF Program Manager, AF Uniforms Air Force

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Dominant Air Power: Design For Tomorrow…Deliver Today

648th Aeronautical Systems Squadron648th Aeronautical Systems Squadron

Jason P. Hale, Maj, USAFProgram Manager, AF Uniforms

Air Force Uniform Program Air Force Uniform Program OfficeOffice

AAFA Fall 07 GCC MeetingAAFA Fall 07 GCC Meeting

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Overview

• Background• Uniform Program Office Charter• Single Program Manager• Programs

• ABU• FIRESAFE• PT Gear• Heritage Coat

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Background

• Background• Recent challenges with ABU development, production,

and distribution highlighted a need to re-look at the management approach to Air Force clothing and textile-based products– Military unique nature demands a “Total Life Cycle

Management” approach• AF leadership directed “management as a

weapon system”, not a commodity.

Goal: The right gear to every Airmen at the right time and at the right cost!

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Program Office Charter

• AF’s System Program Office for Uniforms

• AF’s single-point interface for clothing and textiles

• Responsible for market research, technology development and integration, program planning, design, product development, testing, fielding, certification, sustainment, and assessing customer feedback for continuous product improvement

• Manage programs cradle-to-grave!cradle-to-grave!

• Interface with AF HQ, DLA, AAFES, other services, labs, and industry

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648 AESS Org Structure648 AESS/CC

SPM

SustainmentAcquisitionPrograms

Technology &Integration

TechnicalSupport

ProgramControl

ContractingTextile

Lab

ProductImprovements

NewRequirements

AFCO positions integrated into

the new org

DLA Liaison positionsintegrated into the new org

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Requirements Generation

UNIVERSITIES AND LABS

INDUSTRYSISTER

SERVICES

AF/A1

SPMSPMSurveys and

TechnologyInsertion

EmergingTechnologies

Impr

oved

or

New

Item

s

CSAF Inputs

Industry Days

Joint R&D

Uniform Board

648 AESS

Pu

sh/P

ull

Sys

tem= Current Inputs

= Additional To Be Inputs

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SPM

• Manage Uniforms as a weapon system throughout the life cycle -- confidence/repeatability– Enterprise-wide, results-oriented, collaborative approach to problem

solving

• Bottom Line for the Air Force:– Right uniforms (defined requirements and tech insertion)– Every airman (SME to represent user through entire process)– Right time (SPM to streamline communication & integration efforts)– Right price (Enterprise integration to allow management of life cycle

costs)

• Single Program Manager for Uniforms• Spiral Development

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• Full Rate Production of ABU underway by numerous suppliers

• Distribution Plan– Aug 07: MCSS to begin receiving ABU inventories for sale to all

personnel – Sep-Dec 07: ABUs for all personnel deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan,

or Kuwait• Other deployers will receive DCUs to exhaust inventory

– Oct 07: Incoming Basic Trainees receiving ABUs in Initial Issue Clothing Bags

• Spiral Development– Removing interior coat pockets

• FUTURE– FR ABU / Combat Ensemble– Improved Fabrics

Airman Battle Uniform (ABU)

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Fire Resistant Air Force Equipment (FIRESAFEFIRESAFE))

• Background• Deployed airmen have seen an increased need for flash fire protection. The goal of this

program is to dramatically enhance Airmen’s protection from flash fire while maintaining the utility and comfort thereby improving overall performance and user acceptance.

• Status• FR ACU/ABU

– Army released joint Solicitation– Contract Award scheduled for Dec 07

• Air Force Tiger Shirt– AF variant of Army Combat Shirt (ACS)– Wear Test AFSCs: Security Forces, Weapons Intelligence Teams, EOD, and Electrical

• CWU-27/P Flight Suit– Burn Test Contract Awarded 28 Jun 07– Burn testing from Aug-Sept 07

• Objectives– Document any deficiencies in the current flight suit fabric– Characterize possible replacement fabric

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• Description: To develop, procure, and distribute the Hap Arnold style service dress coat for the US Air Force, A multi-track development of the “Arnold” version Heritage Service Coat, with belt In 4 Tracks:

– Track 1: Issue/optional coat – Track 2: Commercial/optional coat

• AAFES coordinated Custom Tailored Coat at members own expense– Track 3: Parade/Ceremonial– Track 4: USAF Honor Guard

• Track 1: Tentative Schedule

• Fit test Jan-Mar 08• Wear test Apr-Jun 08• Initial distribution of issue coat (through DSCP) Summer 09

• Track 2: Status

• Track 2 patterns are complete and vendor is reviewing them with AAFES • For custom tailored option:

– Developing the fabric in AF 1620 blue color– Goal is to have initial garments available by 1 Nov 07

Heritage Coat

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• PT Optional Shorts with Pockets

• Lightweight Short Sleeve T-shirt (Redesign)• Investigating lighter weight fabrics

• Running Suit (Redesign) • Same appearance but with better fabric, lining and trim, less noise and weight • Anticipate Fit / Wear Test Mar 08

• Long Sleeve T-Shirt

• Running Short• ½ split running short with ID and other pockets possible• Evaluating fabric and current reflective decal configuration

• Sweatshirt• A mid-weight ash gray sweatshirt with reflective decal• Awaiting vendor submissions for AAFES certification

AF Physical Training (PT) Gear

Documents

Dominant Air Power: Design For Tomorrow…Deliver Today 1 648th Aeronautical Systems Squadron Jason P. Hale, Maj, USAF Program Manager, AF Uniforms Air Force