Organizationally, AFMC manages 34 percent of the Air Force overall budget, executing funds across six centers, multiple platforms and Air Force installations, with missions ranging from installation support and readiness to research and development, sustainment, technology acquisition and more, ensuring the service’s warfighting advantage across all mission domains.
Of the $66.6 billion of AFMC funding, $35.3 billion is directly managed by the command, with the other $31.3 billion managed at the service acquisition level for science and technology, investment programs and testing at the command. As part of the AFMC managed funding, $18.4 billion in Centralized Asset Management funds streamline the programming, budgeting and sustainment of Air Force platforms and munitions at an enterprise, fleet-wide level.
In addition to resolving an $80 million deficit, the command was able to secure capital for nearly $35 million in unfunded requirements in fiscal 2019. Key projects included a $2.6 million airfield painting project at the 412th Test Wing, Air Force Test Center, which repainted fading thermo-plastic markings to ensure greater safety for vehicles and aircraft taxiing and landing in controlled movement areas.
At the 96th Test Wing, AFTC, multiple projects to support next-generation weapon and airborne testing for electromagnetic warfare were funded. This included a $2.45 million multi-spectral test and training environment site modernization project to support anti-access/area denial testing at Eglin Air Force Base and a $3.85 million contract for specialized labor and equipment repair for 13 unique threat radar systems.
On the investment side, the headquarters team worked closely with the centers and Air Staff to meet a number of key command needs. This included $380 thousand for a telescope boom lift at Tinker Air Force Base to support maintainers and engineers at the new KC-46A hangar execute quick response and repair at elevated levels in the facility. A realignment of $8.5 million in funding mitigated civilian workforce pay disconnects, eliminating the need for unnecessary personnel actions that could impact mission accomplishment.
The CAM team started fiscal 2019 by realigning $539 million to support the F-22 MC-80 initiative and allocated another $840 million to fund a number of mission critical requirements. These included additional KC-135 programmed depot maintenance needs, B-1 full scale fatigue testing, T-1 engine overhauls and hail damage repairs, and maintenance to the ICBM Minuteman III Guidance System.
Despite challenges from natural disasters including hurricanes, floods and earthquakes along with unexpected funding requirements related to border security and a construction task order pause, the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center fully obligated $7.1 billion – a new record – in the Installation and Mission Support portfolio.
Projects such as the U.S. Air Force Academy chapel renovation, Hill Air Force Base runway improvements and a new air traffic control tower at Tinker Air Force Base were among the largest construction projects funded under the $1.2 billion infrastructure investment funds.
Quality of life improvements, including body armor, food transformation, an enterprise land mobile radio system and expeditionary water and fuel repair systems kits, among other projects, rounded out the portfolio execution.
For the second year, the command executed 100 percent of both Commander’s Readiness Funds ($4.5 million) and Squadron Innovation Funds ($7.1 million). These funds directly support innovative ideas pitched by AFMC Airmen that have the potential to improve mission readiness and Air Force lethality for the future. Some of the larger SIF efforts included:
• AirOps mobile application for automated airfield management (412th Test Wing);
• Tinker tower tablets for improved Air Traffic Control operations (72nd Air Base Wing);
• Electrostatic discharge workstations (72nd Air Base Wing);
• Inclement weather safety and communication equipment (88th Air Base Wing);
• Pump-ops simulator for firefighter training (75th Air Base Wing).
While a short-term continuing resolution will impact some new investments as the command enters fiscal 2020, AFMC leadership expects no impacts on the operations and maintenance mission.
“We are in a strong position for FY20 and will ensure our fund holders have the required funding to continue to deliver tech superiority for our Air Force,” said Peccia. “FY20 will be another good year for AFMC.”
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