US Air Force Looks Ahead

US Air Staff officials have put the finishing touches on the "Transformation Flight Plan," which spells out the future direction of the Air Force. The TFP, a 176-page document, can be accessed through the office of force transformation Web site at www.oft.osd.mil .

"Transformation is using new things and old things in new ways, and achieving truly transformational effects for the joint warfighter," said Lt. Gen. Duncan McNabb, Air Force director of plans and programs.

In conjunction with joint partners, the Air Force is transforming by making capabilities-based changes in its operational concepts, organizational structures and/or technologies to expand the nation’s military capabilities, the general said.

"The flight plan digs down into each of these areas in some detail, then links them all together to present a clear picture of where our Air Force is going in support of combatant commanders," General McNabb said.

Since the flight plan is a "living document," officials plan to update it annually. This version is the second, superseding the one published in May 2002.

"Transformation is a process, a journey, not a destination,” said Col. Allison Hickey, of the Air Force plans and programs directorate’s future concept development branch. "Transformation describes how we change and adapt our military to meet the new challenges of our changing world, as well as taking advantage of the dramatic advances in technologies."

The flight plan is a "snapshot in time," Colonel Hickey said, which reflects service leader’s thoughts and efforts on transformation. Besides targeting technology, it also examines transformation in concepts and organization. Officials hope the flight plan will help Air Force people gain a perspective on the kind of skill sets and abilities they need to develop to help the service achieve its transformational goals.

"The flight plan can help all airmen, as well as our civilian members, understand where we are going and where the Air Force leadership believes emphasis must be placed in the future," said Lt. Col. James McCaw, from the plans and programs directorate’s transformation branch. "It is the one unclassified document that presents an overarching picture of Air Force transformation. It will help the reader understand where the Air Force is going, and why we chose this path."

Colonel McCaw said the flight plan also illustrates that the service is working hard to ensure airmen have the tools necessary to defeat a wide range of new threats and adversaries across the spectrum of conflict. Because the plan is an update to the 2002 document, action officers within the future concept development branch were able to incorporate several "lessons learned" from operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom to the new edition.

"The Air Force is making great progress in our transformation," Colonel McCaw said. "The Air Force has a great head start and will continue to work with (its) colleagues across the Department of Defense to ensure (it continues) to make the whole team better."

The genesis for the Air Force’s Transformation Flight Plan is direction from DOD’s Transformation Planning Guidance.

"The service transformational roadmaps are a key part of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s strategy of transforming the military," Colonel Hickey said. "The flight plan is a reporting document that enables the secretary to evaluate and interpret the Air Force’s (progress) toward transformation." Colonel McCaw believes the evaluation process will continue for quite some time.

"The U.S. military as a whole has been transforming and adapting throughout its history to ensure it maintains broad and sustained advantages over potential adversaries," he said. “This ongoing transformation continues today and will far into the future."

FMI: www.af.mil