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Air Force streamlines regional supply system; AMC leads the way

  • Published
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --   In a significant reorganization of the Air Force supply system, two logistics support centers will soon replace and assume the responsibilities of the service's five regional supply squadrons.

Beginning in April 2006, a Mobility Air Forces Logistics Support Center here will begin handling Supply back-shop operations for all Air Force mobility aircraft, while a LSC at Langley AFB, Va., (called the Combat Air Forces LSC) will be responsible for the service's combat aircraft.

According to Air Mobility Command experts, 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.

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, ACC, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Pacific Air Forces. A fifth RSS was later created within U.S. Special Operations Command. The RSS 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 another reorganization of Air Force Logistics, in 2002 the Air Force merged supply, transportation and maintenance squadrons into logistics readiness squadrons. The merger was part of the Air Force Chief of Staff Logistics Review.

The new logistics support centers at Scott AFB and Langley AFB are being created as part of the Air Force's "Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century" initiative. Introduced in February 2003, the eLog21 initiative is the Air Force's logistics roadmap to transformation and represents the service's commitment to alter current logistics processes to better support the warfighter.

According to Col. Joan Cornuet, AMC RSS commander, the new MAF and CAF LSCs are the next step in the transformation of Air Force Logistics, and will further streamline the service's aircraft Supply process.

"[The MAF LSC] will be in charge of the Supply back-shop operations for all Air Force mobility aircraft, including C-5s, C-130s, C-17s, KC-135s and KC-10s," said Colonel Cornuet. She said the MAF LSC will also assume responsibility for Air Education and Training Command mobility aircraft, as well as U.S. SOCOM aircraft. The CAF LSC at Langley AFB will be responsible for all Air Force combat aircraft, as well as U.S. Space Command aircraft and AETC combat-training aircraft.

In addition to creating the mobility and combat LSCs, Tom Fee, AMC RSS deputy commander, said as the centers come on line, every Air Force base will fall under either the MAF or CAF LSC.

"Today, not every base falls under a regional supply squadron," he said. "However, within the next couple of years, all Air Force bases -- 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 RSS and LSC responsibilities are similar, Colonel Cornuet said the LCS initiative offers several significant improvements, including standardization of peacetime and contingency operations, improved aircraft fleet visibility, and a more streamlined supply process.

"During peacetime, a Guard C-5 has a homestation base supply that provides all his 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."

"Today, if an Elmendorf [AFB, Alaska] C-130, flying an AMC mission, breaks anywhere in the world, [the AMC RSS] is going to fix it. But if that same aircraft breaks at its homestation, PACAF is going to fix it," Mr. Fee added. "In the future, [the MAF LSC] will fix that C-130 whether it's flying for us or for PACAF."

Colonel Cornuet said the LSC 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. Under the LSC initiative, if asked the same question, I can give them the supply rate for all Air Force C-5s," said Colonel Cornuet.

According to the colonel, AMC has already proven it can handle another command's aircraft "without degradation to support." She said AMC RSS began handling AETC mobility aircraft at Altus AFB, Okla., in July 2002, and AETC C-130 aircraft 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."

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