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Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar
System/Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft System
(Joint STARS/MC2A)
Challenge
Faced with DoD leadership's
dissatisfaction with acquisition and system engineering
practices; a shrinking workforce, decreased budgets and
increased demand for rapid product fielding, the Joint STARS
and MC2A Program Offices called for contractor support to
acquire, sustain, test and improve complex Command and
Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
(C2ISR) Platforms. The Joint STARS surveillance system
detects, classifies, and tracks ground targets in all
weather conditions on land or at sea within a 155-mile
range. The MC2A is the next-generation airborne integrated
ground surveillance system.
Before the systems' acquisition and
sustainment goals could be met, the Program Offices had to
be transformed into capabilities-based organizations that
could effectively utilize their own workforces; continuously
improve, adapt to technological change, and be responsive to
changes in the manning needs of the wings, groups, divisions
and squadrons they support.
Solution
As the prime support contractor to the
Joint STARS and MC2A Program Offices, DRC successfully
organized- and manages a 10-company, 90-person support
contractor team that provides advisory, engineering,
logistics and program management services. To transform the
Program Offices into capabilities-based organizations, DRC's
Joint STARS management team developed and implemented the
Single Enterprise Integrated Management (SEIM) Council and
processes. These processes integrated support and resource
management, fostered Program Office communications, and
established common resource standards and processes across
the Program Offices. DRC also developed a new systems
engineering process and instituted the Weapon Systems IPT
and Systems Engineering Planning Program Integrated Team (SEPPIT),
which separates requirements analysis and solutions analysis
in accordance with the new capabilities planning guidance
contained in JCS and AF instructions. This process in now
used to support all program investment decisions discussed
at the Requirement Working Group and Requirements Review
Board.
Benefits/Achievements
- DRC flawlessly executed the
transition of 87 employees within 30 days of contract
notification, receiving the highest rating by the
Government in all evaluation areas.
- The DRC-developed and implemented
SEIM process has been embraced by both Program Directors
as the "gold standard" for resource management.
- Our analysis of the Air Vehicle
Team's "Hardback" assembly forced the weapon systems
contractor to modify their design and resulted in better
efficiency and improved performance.
- DRC's work contributed to the
program's selection as ESC's nominee for the Robert J.
Collier Trophy as "the world's most capable and
interoperable airborne C2ISR platform".
Interested in more information?
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