Air Force streamlines regional supply system

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mark Diamond
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) --  In a significant reorganization of the Air Force supply system, two logistics support centers will soon replace and assume the responsibilities of five regional supply squadrons.

Beginning in April 2006, the Mobility Air Forces Logistics Support Center here will begin handling supply back-shop operations for all Air Force mobility aircraft, while the Combat Air Forces LSC at Langley Air Force Base, Va., will be responsible for combat aircraft.

The new logistics support centers will maximize aircraft fleet visibility and availability, improve spares and airlift allocation, and provide a seamless transition from peacetime to contingency operations, said Air Mobility Command officials.

This is one of several major reorganizations Air Force logistics has seen since the mid-1990s, mostly from lessons learned following operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

In the late 1990s, the Air Force established regional supply squadrons in AMC, Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Pacific Air Forces. A fifth squadron was later created within U.S. Special Operations Command. The structure provided combatant commanders with operational materiel distribution command and control, and regional weapons systems support.

With the creation of regional supply squadrons, installation-level supply back-shop operations such as stock control, funds management, equipment management, records maintenance and computer operations were transferred to each base's respective command RSS.

In 2002, the Air Force merged supply, transportation and maintenance squadrons into logistics readiness squadrons -- part of the Air Force Chief of Staff Logistics Review.

The new logistics support centers here and at Langley are being created as part of the Air Force's "Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century" initiative. Introduced in February 2003, the initiative represents a commitment to alter current logistics processes to better support the warfighter.

The new support centers are the next step in the transformation of Air Force logistics and will further streamline the service's aircraft supply process, said Col. Joan Cornuet, AMC RSS commander.

The MAF LSC will be in charge of the supply back-shop operations for Air Force mobility aircraft, including the C-5 Galaxy, C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-10 Extender, Colonel Cornuet said.

The mobility center will also assume responsibility for Air Education and Training Command mobility aircraft, as well as U.S. Southern Command aircraft. The combat center at Langley will be responsible for all Air Force combat aircraft, as well as U.S. Space Command aircraft and AETC combat-training aircraft.

As the centers come on line, every Air Force base will fall under one of the centers, said Tom Fee, AMC RSS deputy commander.

"Today, not every base falls under a regional supply squadron," he said. "However, within the next couple of years, all Air Force -- including Guard and Reserve bases -- will fall under a logistics support center, and the remaining three regional supply squadrons (PACAF, USAFE and SOCOM) will go away."

Much like the current RSS structure, under the new LSC initiative each base will maintain responsibility for the "hands-on" supply functions while the back-shop supply operations will be handled at the LSC-level.

Although the supply squadron and support center responsibilities are similar, the LCS initiative offers several significant improvements, Colonel Cornuet said. This includes standardization of peacetime and contingency operations, improved aircraft fleet visibility, and a more streamlined supply process.

"During peacetime, a Guard C-5 has a home-station base supply that provides all (its) support," the colonel said. "However, when that C-5 deploys, he falls under (the AMC RSS). It can be confusing. Under the new LSC initiative, that same Guard C-5 will be supported by the MAF LSC during peacetime and during contingencies.

Colonel Cornuet said the support center initiative also provides the Air Force a better "fleet perspective," or aircraft fleet visibility.

"Right now, if somebody wants to know the supply rate for C-5s, I can only give them AMC numbers,” she said. “Under the LSC initiative, if asked the same question, I can give them the supply rate for all Air Force C-5s.”

AMC has already proven it can handle another command's aircraft "without degradation to support,” Colonel Cornuet said. AMC RSS began handling AETC mobility aircraft at Altus AFB, Okla., in July 2002, and AETC C-130s at Little Rock AFB, Ark., in February 2005.

"We've already proven the system works," Colonel Cornuet said, "and we are now poised to provide weapons system support for all Air Force active duty and reserve mobility aircraft, as well as special operations aircraft." (Courtesy of AMC News Service)