Sept. 11 attacks bring focus on AMC's airlift, air refueling operations
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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks overshadowed Air Mobility Command declaring Initial Operations Capability for its Mobility 2000 concept of air operations, but, at the same time, focused the command's efforts to mobilize quickly for homeland defense.
It also accelerated the command's improvements in airlift and air refueling effectiveness to respond to another such attack.
For the past two years, AMC has been laying the groundwork for Mobility 2000, or M2K, which is the term used to describe its comprehensive effort to integrate and modernize its command and control. This groundwork has put them in position as the Air Force's lead command to help develop homeland defense procedures with the Federal Aviation Authority and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.
The M2K program, to include the recent declaration of IOC, has been "on track," but the terrorist attacks have "certainly sped up some development issues," said Col. Gregory Padula, M2K project director and chief of AMC requirements and resources division.
"What the Initial Operations Capability means, is that we're ready to begin expanding M2K operations to the majority of our airlift and air refueling missions over the next few years," he added. "Most of our air crews, mission planners, and agencies that deal with air operations and even logistical operations throughout AMC will eventually be part of this seamless way of doing business."
He said the idea of M2K is to get the right stuff, to the right place, at the right time for the warfighter and other users. At the same time, safety will be improved and aircraft ground time will be reduced. In turn, reduced ground time will allow AMC's fleet to move more cargo and passengers.
Since the attacks, AMC hastened the creation of an air traffic control coordinator to develop procedures to react to air traffic emergencies as well as routine air traffic management issues. This position will provide a direct link with NORAD and FAA to ensure the command meets the new flying environment in the United States, said Padula. Because of 9-11 the ATC coordinator position stood up about six months ahead of the schedule.
"Now that we're providing resources for homeland defense and security, it was critical we have direct access to these agencies," said Padula. "It was always in our plan, but obviously we needed that direct link to them now so we can provide the nation the necessary support. This partnering with FAA and Civil Aviation Authorities, was essential to build seamless airlift and air refueling missions."
AMC is currently flying approximately 5 percent of its missions under M2K, and some pilots have come to expect it as a way to do business. Through a flight manager, pilots receive everything they need for flights in one-stop shopping. Pilots begin to prepare for flights anywhere from 2 hours and 15 minutes to 4 hours and 15 minutes prior to take-off in order to gather flight information, weather, updates to airfield conditions and procedures, plan the mission, and prepare the aircraft for departure. On flight-managed missions the pilots' job shifts from "gathering" the information to just "checking" the information that a trained flight manager/dispatcher has provided.
"We're all for less paperwork and more flying time," said Maj. Scott DeThomas, a C-17 aircraft commander from Charleston AFB, S.C. "The one-stop concept allows us to come in and review the paperwork, which, if you know you're going to have a long day, those extra few minutes or hours on the ground not spent in mission planning or coordinating requirements is very helpful. Both the one-stop concept and the entire M2K way of flying is good for crew members."
In addition to M2K, AMC is looking at ways to synchronize operations to reduce the amount of time aircraft are on the ground. There are currently 45 areas of potential improvement processes being reviewed to move toward the command's goal to reduce the ground time to two hours or less, where appropriate. This initiative will be ongoing over the next year.
These process improvements and the systems they're using to make it happen haven't gone unnoticed. AMC officials are also working with U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Pacific Air Forces, as well as other Air Force major commands, to institutionalize this way of doing business.
"In the next couple of months, we'll be looking to expand our reach even more as we continue to bring the people and systems online to support our vision," said Padula. And, while we're still feeling the hurt from the Sept. 11 tragedy, we are moving forward to enable AMC to respond faster while we make things safer and better for our aircrews and support personnel."
(FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
Office of Public Affairs - transcom-pa@mail.mil
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