industry can come forward with and pro- vide to the Army in terms of capability. … We’re going to do this right, and we need your [industry’s] feedback and help.”
From the materiel development side, Crosby is looking for “technologies that will enhance our ability to be responsive with the right amount of firepower, the right kind of support, at the right time, as required by the support of that Soldier on the ground.”
With the development of a new system, Crutchfield encouraged industry to keep training in mind. “Let’s not forget about the training simulator for the future ver- tical lift,” he said.
Crutchfield sees simulation playing a larger role in training Army aviators, par- ticularly because of the cost of fuel and maintainability of the training fleet. “I believe there’s going to be a greater need for simulation in the future,” Crutchfield said. “I also believe that, although we have some of the greatest aircraft simula- tors in the world, we’re not where I think we need to be as those simulators.”
far as utilization of
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES The past 10 years of conflict have been instructive for industry as well, in terms of how the Armed Forces and indus- try can work together most effectively. Industry speakers at the aviation sympo- sium offered a number of lessons learned:
Support the battlefield commander—
“He has a lot of options based on his mission parameters,” said Tim Rand- ich, Director of Product Support, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “It’s really important to figure out what the best solution is, and we as contractors need to listen to the battle- field commander and provide the right
services. … Whatever skills they need augmented, whatever tools they need, that’s what we need to provide.”
Be the experts—Steven E. Reid, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft
Systems, AAI
Corp./Textron Systems, said that con- tracting personnel should be experts on the product technical data that they provide to Soldiers. “Our cus- tomers
look at those personnel and
expect them to know everything about the product. It’s a very reasonable expectation. We’re also potentially upgrading our products, so we have to keep our personnel in theater cur- rent on the latest configuration of all those
schematics he said.
Have a good working relationship with the contracting officer’s representative (COR)—“We are very proactive in supporting the customer. Sometimes we have to be careful, if we are asked to do something, that we at least tell the COR before we do it, because oth- erwise you get yourself in real trouble,” said LTG John M. (Mark) Curran (USA Ret.), Corporate Vice President, Army Programs and Huntsville Opera- tions,
L-3 Communications Corp.
“We make sure the COR knows before we do anything.”
CONCLUSION Army Aviation’s adaptability is critical both today and in the future, particularly in a constrained environment. “The focus … is to be adaptive. We, in the acquisi- tion community, sometimes are criticized for being slow and not adaptive [or] not responsive,” Crosby said. “I think what we have proven this last 10 years is that we are pretty adaptive and responsive.”
“I believe we’re at a tipping point for ver- tical aviation,” said Philip J. Dunford, Boeing Vice President/General Manager
and Operating Executive. “We all recog- nize it. We must collectively do something about it. The Army and industry must work together toward a solution. … Indus- try must define the art of the possible so R&D [research and development] dollars can be spent on our relevant technologies for the next airplane. Success depends on a realistic plan by all the stakeholders.
and specifications,”
While Army Aviation’s strategy going forward will not be final until budget decisions are made, Crutchfield assured that the branch is strong. “As far as the mission is concerned … Army Aviation remains enduring. We will still provide the Army and the Nation with attack, reconnaissance, [and] logistical support, whether it’s manned or unmanned,” he said. “Today, Army Aviation remains strong and prosperous.”
For more information, go to
http://www.ausa.org/meetings/2012/ symposia/2012AviationSymposium/ Page s /2012AviationSympos ium
Exposition.aspx for presentations from some of the sessions.
BRITTANY ASHCROFT Group. provides
contract support to the U.S. Army Acqui- sition Support Center through BRTRC Technology Marketing nearly 10 years’
She experience has in magazine
editing and holds a B.A. in English from Elmhurst College.
ROBERT E. COULTAS is AL&T Magazine
nearly 40 years Departments of
the Army Edi-
tor and an Access AL&T News Service Editor. He is a retired Army broadcaster with
combined experience in public affairs, journalism,
broadcasting, and advertising. Coultas has won numerous Army Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Awards and is a DoD Thomas Jef- ferson Award recipient.
ASC.ARMY.MIL 149
CONFERENCE CALL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176
