A collection of news and information specifically for the C4ISR community

Vol. 5, No. 4
January 29, 2009

General Bowlds delivers second State of ESC Address
Grades center on response to 2008 challenges

Electronic Systems Center Commander Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds presents his annual State of ESC Address at the Marriot Hotel in Newton, Mass., Jan. 28. The general spoke about the center’s mission, vision and priorities and also graded ESC on how well it had responded to the challenges he presented in last year’s State of ESC speech.  (Photo by Rick Berry)

By Chuck Paone
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Electronic Systems Center Commander Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds delivered his annual State of ESC Address Jan. 28 before an audience of nearly 600 people packed into the ballroom of the Marriott Newton Hotel in Newton, Mass.

The address was sponsored by the Lexington-Concord Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and came on the heels of the chapter’s annual New Horizons Symposium.

During the course of his hour-long presentation, the general discussed Air Force and command-level objectives, as well as ESC’s role in fulfilling them. He also spoke about his own commander’s intent, listing the key areas he expects the center to concentrate on, including a "back-to-basics, by-the-book" approach to ESC's common, core processes.

The general also took an extra step this year, keeping a promise to measure and report back on how ESC performed against the key acquisition challenges he announced during his 2008 speech. Despite several successes, which the general noted, he was not an easy grader. (More)

Program office makes first FAB-T delivery this week

By Chuck Paone
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

HANSCOM AFB, Mass. – This week officials here provided the first of a new family of satellite communication terminals to the B-2 program office, making it easier to move large amounts of voice, data, imagery, and video to and from the platform.

This iteration of the Family of Advanced Beyond Line of Sight Terminals, or FAB-T, is what’s known as an engineering development model. It will be used to support aircraft platform integration and testing, according to Capt. Jeremy Kruger, FAB-T’s systems engineering and test Integrated Product Team leader.

Many additional terminals will be provided in the next few months, including one to support flight testing planned for spring 2009, he said.

FAB-T will provide information to and from ground and airborne platforms over protected and wideband satellite communications and line-of-sight systems. FAB-T is required to be interoperable with all Air Force, Army and Navy extremely high frequency, or EHF, terminals. (More)

Sharing a warfighter's view

Capt. Christopher Robinson of the 66th Security Forces Squadron discusses his deployments to Iraq during the ‘Warfighter’s Perspective’ session of the New Horizons Symposium at the Newton Marriot Hotel Jan. 28. During the course of three separate tours in Iraq, Captain Robinson handled various duties, including training Iraqi police officers. New Horizons is sponsored by the Lexington-Concord Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. (Photo by Mark Wyatt)

C-12 Hurons, like the one shown here, will begin serving as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms for combatant commanders. (U.S. Air Force file photo)

By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

WASHINGTON -- To better fill combatant commanders' needs for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Air Force officials will begin using C-12 Huron turboprop planes as ISR platforms.

The program, called Project Liberty, involves Airmen operating a fleet of 37 C-12 aircraft providing ISR full-motion video and signals intelligence for operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

The specialized crew of four will provide military leaders with real-time data and information to make key battlefield decisions.

The project is part of the secretary of Defense's ISR task force and derives from his direction to provide more ISR capabilities to U.S. Central Command. There will be two deployed units and one stateside training unit.  (More)

551 ELSW announces 4th quarter award winners

Airman Category		NCO Category		SNCO Category		CGO Category
Senior Airman Anete Adams		Staff Sgt. Lacey Quinton		Senior Master Sgt. Glenn Taijeron		Capt. Jesse Moreno

FGO Category		Civilian Category I		Civilian Category II		Civilian Category III
Lt. Col. Edwin McCain		Joel Rodriguez		James Lawrence		Elizabeth Milling

Not pictured: AWACS 40/45 Program, 551st ELSG

Hanscom VPP gears up for next step in certification process

By Rhonda Siciliano
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Hanscom's Voluntary Protection Program is ready to move forward in its pursuit of achieving certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as a VPP Star certified site.

Hanscom's program went through a final review last week by Dave Caswell, Department of Defense VPP Center of Excellence, who determined that Hanscom was ready to take the next step in the certification process which is to submit an application package to OSHA.

Once the application is submitted, OSHA will evaluate Hanscom's safety processes, interview employees and supervisors on base and then determine what level the base qualifies for.

"Our VPP has come a long way but the toughest part is still ahead," said Col. Lee Pritchard, 66th Air Base Wing Safety Office commander. "Over the next few weeks we will submit our application to OSHA, inviting them to review our program and conduct a site visit to determine if we have met the requirements to earn recognition as a Star certified site." (More)

ESC announces staff 4th quarter award winners

Airman Category		NCO Category		SNCO Category		CGO Category
Senior Airman Timothy Galloway Judge Advocate		Staff Sgt. Carrie Jordan Judge Advocate		Master Sgt. Alfred Gonyer Judge Advocate		1st Lt. David Alpar Band of Liberty

FGO Category		Civilian Category II		Civilian Category III
Lt. Col. Jonathan Fitton Engineering		Donna Desimas Personnel		Carol Hoffses Acquisition Excellence

JIEDDO to field USAF-specific counter-IED unmanned aircraft this year
-- Inside the Air Force
The Pentagon office tasked with defeating roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan will field an Air Force specific improvised explosive device-hunting unmanned aircraft this year, according to a program official.

Young questions FAB-T development 
-- Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Pentagon acquisition chief John Young says the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) program needs to re-evaluated with a view toward making sure all the services’ needs and alternatives are considered.

command comments ...

-- Statement submitted by Secretary of Defense
Robert M. Gates to the Senate Armed Services Committee
on Jan. 27

The Integrator is a weekly product of the 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office designed to give ESC decision makers a snapshot of news affecting the C4ISR community.  This e-publication is approved by Kevin Gilmartin, Chief of Public Affairs, (DSN) 478-4110 or commercial (781) 377-4110.  Back issues are available online.  To facilitate service, please select a link for your e-mails:  
Subscribe -- Unsubscribe -- Offer Comments

Having trouble viewing The Integrator? Click here, http://integrator.hanscom.af.mil/2009/January/01292009/01292009.htm