F-16 automatic test system acquisition and sustainment management - a case study in transformation

The turn of the 21^st century brought with it demands for transforming the way the Department of Defense does business. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld challenged the DoD´s senior leaders to nurture within the department a culture of creative and intelligent risk taking, where managers think less like bureaucrats and more like venture capitalists. An environment where managers foresee requirements rather than react to requirements; then field solutions quickly using tools such as innovative contracting strategies, system integrators, and industry partnering. The Air Force Chief of Staff has made transformation of the entire acquisition process, to include sustainment, a top priority for the service. He has acknowledged in his report to the 107^th Congress, 2^nd Session, that while the Air Force has a strong record of individual successes in acquisition reform, broad-based changes are still needed. He stressed that acquisition transformation is the number one goal of the Air Force´s acquisition leadership.