Back to news

September 18, 2018 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

Air Force transforms existing program office into its new software development hub

By:

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force's program executive office for battle management has been redesignated PEO Digital, but it's more than a name change, the service's top acquisition executive told Defense News.

Instead, it's about taking one of the Air Force's most diverse acquisition portfolios — covering everything from JSTARS ground-surveillance planes to certain communications gear — and transforming it into the headquarters of agile software development as the service moves forward with evermore sophisticated information technology programs, said Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics.

In at least the beginning, it will look much like the service's program office for buying services.

“It won't do all of the software development for the Air Force. There's no way it could,” Roper said in a Sept. 7 interview. But the hope is that it will be able to manage agile software development for some of the Air Force's most tricky programs, while at the same time providing expertise and software development tools to the rest of the program offices.

“As programs shift to agile development, where they're pushing code out every month, where they are working directly with the user, where they are measuring their output using metrics that tell them whether it's good code or bad code, PEO Digital will provide Air Force standards for doing it and a playbook for making it work,” Roper said.

FUll article: https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/air-force-association/2018/09/17/air-force-transforms-existing-program-office-into-its-new-software-development-hub

On the same subject

  • Dynetics seeks closer soft docking of X-61A Gremlins in next flight test

    September 8, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Dynetics seeks closer soft docking of X-61A Gremlins in next flight test

    by Pat Host Dynetics believes it gained enough data from a July flight test of its X-61A Gremlins unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to next time achieve a closer soft docking to the recovery aircraft than the 38 m distance it reached in July. The July flight test was the demonstration of a second X-61A air vehicle as well as the Gremlins airborne recovery system. The X-61A, which weighs 544 kg, flew for a total flight time of 2 hours 12 minutes and flew in formation with a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft from as close as 38 m back and 38 m below the aircraft. Tim Keeter, Dynetics Gremlins programme manager, told Janes on 27 August that the company needed centimetre-level accuracy and precision to get the air vehicle's engagement arm into the 30 cm stabilised towed docking, or capture, device. This process is known as soft docking. Dynetics, Keeter said, advanced the maturity of the system, its confidence in the air vehicle's behaviour, and downloaded enough data where the company is confident it can close that last 38 m for a closer soft docking event in an upcoming flight test. The X-61A that flew in July was Gremlins Air Vehicle (GAV) Number 3, the first flight for this air vehicle. Keeter said Dynetics launched this air vehicle the same way it launched the first one: from a pylon on a C-130 operated by International Air Response (IAR), which offers C-130 services. Dynetics used the same C-130 for both launch and recovery. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/dynetics-seeks-closer-soft-docking-of-x-61a-gremlins-in-next-flight-test

  • Lockheed, U.S. government offer to sell 40 F-35As to Swiss air force

    November 20, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Lockheed, U.S. government offer to sell 40 F-35As to Swiss air force

    By Christen McCurdy Nov. 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. government and Lockheed Martin submitted a proposal to the Swiss government offering up to 40 F-35A aircraft and a sustainment and training program. According to Lockheed Martin, the offering also includes an industrial package that would provide Swiss industry with work opportunities in all regions of the country. If the deal goes through, Lockheed said, Swiss industry would have the opportunity to compete for direct production of F-35 components as well as sustainment projects to support the Swiss air force and Swiss autonomy and cybersecurity projects related to the F-35. The offer also includes a six-month sustainment package that would allow the Swiss air force to conduct autonomous operations. The option would permit the assembly of four aircraft in Switzerland to help the Swiss air force and industry partners learn how to maintain the aircraft. "We are confident that our F-35 offer is the best and most affordable solution for the Swiss NFA competition," said Greg Ulmer, F-35 Program vice president and general manager. "We are offering the only 5th generation fighter at the cost of 4th generation aircraft while offering Switzerland an aircraft that will protect Swiss sovereignty for decades to come." Nine nations operate F-35s on their home soil, with more than 585 F-35s in service today, according to Lockheed. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/11/19/Lockheed-US-government-offer-to-sell-40-F-35As-to-Swiss-air-force/3561605814292/

  • For the first time, Black Hawk helicopter flies without anyone aboard

    February 11, 2022 | International, Aerospace

    For the first time, Black Hawk helicopter flies without anyone aboard

    Sikorsky and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency flew a Black Hawk helicopter for 30 minutes with no one inside through the ALIAS program.

All news