Fiscal Year 2011 Research Agenda

The Resource Management Program analyzes policies and practices in the areas of logistics and readiness; outsourcing, privatization, and contracting; the industrial base; planning, programming, and budgeting; infrastructure; and weapon-system cost estimating. The goal of this program is to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of Air Force operations in a resource-constrained environment.

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Updated: 6/10/2011

Improving Efficiency in Air Force Acquisitions

Project Leader: Bernard Fox
Sponsor: SAF/AQX*
Level of Effort (STE): 1.5

The objective of this project is to support SAF/AQ efforts to comply with the OSD efficiency initiative by targeting unproductive or low-value activities and by offering new, more efficient approaches to Air Force acquisition activities. The project will support this effort by developing a portfolio of options, with an assessment of their relative costs and benefits, for Air Force acquisition leadership consideration. This project will continue the project started toward the end of FY10.

Quantifying and Reducing Operational Risk

Project Leader: Robert Tripp
Sponsors:AF/A4/7*; AFGLSC/CC*; 7AF/CC; AFMC/CV; AFMC/A8/9; AF/A5X; SAF/XCD; AF/A1X; AF/CGIC
Level of Effort (STE): 4.0

The purpose of this effort is two-fold: (1) expand the FY10 work integrating agile combat support (ACS) planning, execution, and control processes and nodes into the broader Air Force C2 enterprise architecture, to include additional ACS functional areas; and (2) develop analytic methods to enhance the Air Force’s ability to conduct integrated capability assessments to inform Component Numbered Air Force (C-NAF) evaluations of courses of action and global resource prioritization. Potential tasks include development of capabilities for enterprise-wide spares, munitions, engines, and fuel assessments and war reserve materiel sourcing assessments. This continuing research is intended to lead to improved allocation of scarce ACS resources across competing operational demands and improved operational planning based on more realistic understanding of which operations can be supported, and over what time horizons.

Sizing and Posturing ACS for Future Strategic Requirements

Project Leader: Patrick Mills
Sponsors: AF/A4/7*; AFMC/A8/9*; NGB/CF; AF/A1X; SAF/MRM
Level of Effort (STE): 2.5

This project will extend FY10 research examining agile combat support (ACS) capabilities needed to meet emerging mission area requirements such as irregular combat support to (1) develop an analytic, reproducible method for determining ACS expeditionary, home station, and institutional requirements; (2) determine the associated force structure and optimum force posture needed to meet likely future scenarios, some of which may be quite different from current deployments and which may be dominated by ACS; and (3) inform programming decisions for ACS. These findings should increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Air Force operations by identifying force structures and force postures for ACS that deliver more capability per dollar and reduce the risk of executing the most likely future scenarios. They should also help to inform near-term resource decisions regarding where to cut resources from overhead and supporting activities.

Nuclear Sustainment Roles and Responsibilities

Project Leader: Don Snyder
Sponsors: AFMC/NWC*; AF/A10
Level of Effort (STE): 2.5

The purposes of this effort are to (1) re-examine issues addressed in the 2004 RAND study on the structure and organization of Air Force nuclear sustainment; and (2) provide an external follow-up of the Comprehensive Assessment of Nuclear Sustainment (CANS) and CANS II. It will assess whether the current structure is adequate and if there are there any latent issues within nuclear sustainment that could lead to another nuclear incident. This analysis should help the Air Force to mitigate against another undesired nuclear incident due to sustainment issues and improve the viability of U.S. nuclear deterrent forces via improved readiness.

Increasing the Fuel Efficiency of Air Force Mobility Operations

Project Leaders: Sean Bednarz, Ronald McGarvey
Sponsors: AMC/CC*; SAF/IEN
Level of Effort (STE): 4.0

The purpose of this effort is to assist AMC in identifying options to meet its goal to reduce aviation fuel consumption by 10% by 2015 (2006 baseline). The project has two complementary thrusts. First, PAF will identify a set of metrics for assessing the operational effectiveness, lifecycle costs, and fuel efficiency of organic and commercial options to inform mobility allocation decisions. Second, PAF will examine the implications of potential Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) avionics upgrades to the C-130, C-17, C-5, and KC-135 fleets. In 2009, PAF assessed the cost-effectiveness of modernizing the KC-10 to meet GATM requirements and determined that the value of the fuel savings heavily outweighed the cost of the upgrade. This project will extend that analysis to these other large fleets. PAF will estimate modification costs and changes in operations costs, including potential fuel savings, and assess impacts on mission effectiveness.

Enhancing SAF/IG’s Ability to Meet Its Title 10 Responsibilities

Project Leaders: Frank Camm, Laura Werber Castaneda
Sponsor: SAF/IG*
Level of Effort (STE): 2.0

The purpose of this effort is to assist SAF/IG in meeting its Title 10 responsibilities for supporting Air Force senior leadership through assessment of the readiness, efficiency, economy, and state of discipline of the Air Force by identifying options for enhancing its ability to meet those responsibilities. Key research questions include: (1) What are today’s requirements for SAF/IG?; (2) Given its limited resources, what are the most efficient and effective ways of achieving its objectives?; (3) What types of information are most useful for top AF leadership to gauge the health of the Air Force?; and (4) What new capabilities might be needed to gather and analyze the necessary data? The project should lead to better informed senior leader decisions and more efficient inspections, with a corresponding shift in inspected units' efforts to apply feedback from inspections to mission execution.

Umbrella Acquisition Policy and Cost Analysis Project

Project Leaders: Michael Boito, Cynthia Cook, John Graser, Robert S. Leonard
Sponsors: SAF/AQ; SAF/AQX*; AFCAA
Level of Effort (STE): 7.0

The purpose of this effort is to conduct analyses on acquisition policy and cost analysis topics of interest to Air Force acquisition leadership. Four tasks for FY11 include:

• Strategic planning and analytic support to the Air Force's new Industrial Liaison office
• Cost and schedule analyses drawing on Selected Acquisition Report data
• Mission area analysis for development planning
• Improving the Air Force’s “should cost” capability

Strategic Planning for Future Air Force Infrastructure Reductions

Project Leader: Mike Thirtle
Sponsors: AF/A4/7*; AF/A7C; SAF/IE; AF/A3/5; AF/A8P
Level of Effort (STE): 1.0

This project will develop decision-support framework to help the Air Force with strategic infrastructure reductions. The Air Force currently has too much infrastructure and has implemented initiatives to reduce infrastructure 20% by 2020. What should Air Force infrastructure look like in 2020, 2030, and 2040 to meet future capability requirements? Where are further reductions needed to accommodate reduced budgets, and how should the Air Force identify and assess options? This project will help to inform Air Force decisions regarding appropriate infrastructure reductions.

Controlling Health Care Costs and Improving Patient Care Through More Effective Implementation of “Medical Homes”

Project Leader: Christine Eibner
Sponsors: AF/SG*; SAF/MRM
Level of Effort (STE): 1.5

The purpose of this project is to reduce military health care costs, improve care, and achieve healthier populations. The study will focus on the patient-centered medical home implementation by reviewing best practices from other national health care systems and culture of prevention incentive programs. This effort will contribute to Air Force Medical Service’s and ASD Health Affairs’ patient-centered medical home initiative and effort to reduce Defense Health Program costs.