The Ogden Air Logistics
Center (OO-ALC) at Hill Air Force Base and Hamilton Sundstrand
officials signed a public-private cooperative partnering agreement
enabling Hill’s technicians to provide repair capabilities
for the Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster III.
It is anticipated that the partnership will provide the 309th
Maintenance Wing with technical documentation, training and tools
for various C-17 items to repair.
The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo
aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid
strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main
operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment
area.
The aircraft is also capable of performing tactical airlift and
airdrop missions when required. The inherent flexibility and
performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total
airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements
of the United States.
Ogden ALC currently has 21 partnership agreements in place with
various private organizations and this is the first agreement
between the Center and Hamilton Sundstrand, headquartered in
Windsor Locks, Conn. and a subsidiary of United Technologies
Corp.
Officials from both organizations said the partnership leverages
the strengths and increases core competencies and optimize national
defense infrastructure.
“Today’s
warfighters will gain the most benefits from this
partnership,” said Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Sullivan, commander,
Ogden ALC, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Air
Force.
“As a result of having this technology at our Center,
warfighters will gain improved responsiveness, technology infusion,
increased reliability, and improved logistical support for the C-17
fleet.”
The general also said Ogden ALC will benefit from this
partnership by gaining access to commercial expertise, management
methods and improved technical support and training from Hamilton
Sundstrand. This effort will preserve the Center’s
labor base and ultimately spread overhead costs against a broader
base of workload hours. This will lower OO-ALC’s overall
production costs.
Hamilton Sundstrand will gain economical manufacturing repair
capabilities from the OO-ALC skilled workforce and access to the
federal government facilities already covered by hazardous material
licenses saving the contractor significant costs.
“I believe this is an important step forward for both the Air
Force and Hamilton Sundstrand,” said Bill Silvestri, Hamilton
Sundstrand’s general manager for military customer support
and logistics.
“We are moving into a new era, where we are no longer just
a supplier, but a true partner working with the Air Force to
improve support and readiness for our warfighter.”
By collaborating with Hamilton Sundstrand, the OO-ALC can move
from a single transaction based-business to a more permanent and
enduring relationship, according to General Sullivan.
“By aggressively seeking public/private partnerships, we
can create untold opportunities for the government to sell articles
and or services, or to lease facilities and equipment to private
industry working on DoD accounts,” the general said.