Wright-Patt shop provides engineering solutions to save time, money

The Rapid Development Integration Facility provides rapid and adaptive engineering solutions to the warfighter faster and less expensively than prime contractors, according to Alan Brookshire, RDIF director.

Since 2010, the Rapid Development Integration Facility, part of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, has been saving time and money for U.S. taxpayers, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Air Force bases worldwide, Brookshire said.

“We produce modification kits, develop engineering solutions and modify aircraft and weapon systems worldwide,” Brookshire said. “We design, develop, produce and install, cradle to grave. We are a one-stop shop. What we can’t do organically we team with local small businesses in the Miami Valley to deliver a final product to our customer. The partnership with small local businesses is for technologies and capabilities we don’t have like special welding, painting and special coatings.”

The RDIF, located at 5001 Skeel Ave., Bldg. 148 in Area A, occupies a 20,000-square-foot building operated by AFLCMC and began without any tools in 2010. Brookshire’s small team has transformed the building into a productive shop doing jobs in-house that would normally be too expensive to contract to a large aircraft company. Tools were acquired and bought from their government customers who factored in the cost and still saved substantial money, according to Brookshire.

The shop is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. When aircraft modifications are needed, they go into a 24/7 flexible time mode. When Brookshire’s team travels outside the country, they are on 24/7 time schedule.

With savings up to 70 percent, organizations could extend their budgets and accomplish No. 2 and No. 3 on their wish list without asking for more money, Brookshire said.

“The RDIF is here to deliver to the warfighter what he wants, when he wants and below budget expectations, saving taxpayers over $350 million since 2010,” said Brookshire.

For more information, contact Brookshire at 937-257-4246 or alan.brookshire.1@us.af.mil.

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