It may say something about today's military acquisition
process that a three-star general cites "litigation avoidance" as the
top priority for his acquisition strategy.
But that is what Lt Gen Donald Wurster, chief of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), told a standing-room only audience at the AFA convention today. Wurster also shared a method AFSOC has developed to protest-proof new acquisitions of major weapon systems.
The issue came up two years ago when AFSOC attempted to buy 16 AC-27J gunships.
Wurster says he asked his staff: "How do we buy AC-27s without the big dogs [ie, contractors] poking each other in the eye?"
The solution, Wurster says, lies in bypassing the traditional procurement process completely. Instead of asking for competitive proposals, AFSOC would bolt onto the existing C-27J procurement contract. Then, the AFSOC would compete the gunship modifications for the C-27J under a task order from an existing services contract, such as the F2AST mechanism, Wurster says.
It's not unlike the strategy AFSOC has traditionally used to develop its specialized versions of C-130s, UH-60's and CH-53s. But it's the first time AFSOC has used the strategy specifically to avoid procurement litigation.
In this specific case, AFSOC never got the chance to see if its strategy might work. The US Congress rejected the AC-27 gunship plan, Wurster says, although he adds the "door is not closed".
But AFSOC also has another strategy to fight the proprietary interests of defense contractors, Wurster says. AFSOC, for instance, is insisting on installing a new computer processor on board its aircraft that is independent of the operational flight program.
"It gives us the capability to [add new payloads] without sending our aircraft out to Edwards [AFB] because the software we just changed moves the aileron," Wurster says.
If the idea is unpopular with the aircraft manufacturers, Wurster is decidedly unsympathetic.
"We're going to put it on there," Wurster told an AFA audience thick with contractors, "whether you like it or not".
But that is what Lt Gen Donald Wurster, chief of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), told a standing-room only audience at the AFA convention today. Wurster also shared a method AFSOC has developed to protest-proof new acquisitions of major weapon systems.
The issue came up two years ago when AFSOC attempted to buy 16 AC-27J gunships.
Wurster says he asked his staff: "How do we buy AC-27s without the big dogs [ie, contractors] poking each other in the eye?"
The solution, Wurster says, lies in bypassing the traditional procurement process completely. Instead of asking for competitive proposals, AFSOC would bolt onto the existing C-27J procurement contract. Then, the AFSOC would compete the gunship modifications for the C-27J under a task order from an existing services contract, such as the F2AST mechanism, Wurster says.
It's not unlike the strategy AFSOC has traditionally used to develop its specialized versions of C-130s, UH-60's and CH-53s. But it's the first time AFSOC has used the strategy specifically to avoid procurement litigation.
In this specific case, AFSOC never got the chance to see if its strategy might work. The US Congress rejected the AC-27 gunship plan, Wurster says, although he adds the "door is not closed".
But AFSOC also has another strategy to fight the proprietary interests of defense contractors, Wurster says. AFSOC, for instance, is insisting on installing a new computer processor on board its aircraft that is independent of the operational flight program.
"It gives us the capability to [add new payloads] without sending our aircraft out to Edwards [AFB] because the software we just changed moves the aileron," Wurster says.
If the idea is unpopular with the aircraft manufacturers, Wurster is decidedly unsympathetic.
"We're going to put it on there," Wurster told an AFA audience thick with contractors, "whether you like it or not".
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