PEO Aviation has more milestones on horizon

The Program Executive Office for Aviation saw several big changes and accomplishments in the last year, starting with the PEO Aviation change of charter from Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby to Brig. Gen. Bob Marion on Jan. 24. The event was followed by a retirement ceremony for Crosby.

Marion was promoted to brigadier general on the same day. Now after a year as the PEO, Marion stresses the importance of stewardship and urges the aviation community to remain steadfast in accomplishing Army aviation's top priorities.

Army aviation saw its peak relevance during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, proving that it is a critical enabler to ground forces. It has flown nearly 7 million flight hours since the beginning of OIF and OEF, and remains the Army's largest portfolio.

"Those dollars that are reflected in the Army aviation portfolio are really reflections on your ability to get to the finish line," Marion said to the aviation community.

And so, as the calendar year wraps up, let's take a look at some of the organization's highlights and achievements through the eyes of Army aviation's project management offices.

Apache helicopters

Team Apache saw several milestones this year starting with the successful completion of the Follow On Test and Evaluation in August at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida with the 1/25thh Aviation Regiment Battalion, the Army's second unit equipped with the E model Apaches. A simultaneous rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, also took place with the same unit that subsequently deployed in the Pacific Theater as part of the Rim of the Pacific exercise.

The AH-64E Apache has flown more than 15,000 flight hours and has exceeded expectations in performance and operational readiness rates in theater. Combined with the D model Apaches, the world's most lethal combat helicopter has flown more than 4 million hours.

Earlier this year, the project office signed contracts for the third and fourth lots of E-model Apaches, which brought the program to full rate production. To date 89 have been fielded. The Army's program of record remains at 690 aircraft.

Apache Project Office also saw leadership change during a change of charter from Lt. Col. Steven Van Riper to Lt. Col. Louis King as the product director for Apache sensors in July.

Unmanned aircraft systems

UAS Project Office continues to provide stellar unmanned aircraft system support to the war fighters, while surpassing the 2 million flight hour landmark, as well as achieving other critical milestones in 2014.

In June, the Shadow RQ-7B, which has surpassed 920,000 flight hours, underwent Follow-On Test and Evaluation testing. A monumental achievement for the Shadow team, it proved out the concept of the onboard Tactical Data Link capabilities for this workhorse of the Army's UAS fleet.

In late August, the first ever Family-of-Systems testing was conducted in labs and flight lines in California, Maryland and Alabama. The overall assessment of the testing and the Manned-Unmanned Teaming functionality was very positive from everyone involved. A number of firsts were successfully accomplished during the testing including the first time that an Apache controlled the flight and payload of the Shadow UAS while it was in flight.

With the Army's Aviation Restructuring Initiative, the Shadow UAS becomes part of not only the Brigade Combat Teams, but will now be a key combat multiplier in the Combat Aviation Brigades. The team has just fielded Shadow platoons in the first CAB and will continue fielding 2-3 Shadow platoons per month for the next few years.

In mid-December, the first ever Ground Based Sense and Avoid radar system was installed at Fort Hood, Texas.

Utility Helicopters

The Utility Helicopters Project Office celebrated the Army's acceptance of the 300th UH-72A Lakota during a rollout ceremony at Airbus Helicopters production facility in Columbus, Miss. in May. The 300th Lakota aircraft marks a major milestone for the Army, with the program having been consistently executed on time and on budget. Through the ARI, the Army has decided that the UH-72A Lakota will be the Army's training helicopter and will replace the aging TH-67 and OH-58A/C fleet that are obsolete.

Also in May, the project office hosted a foreign military sales visit, hosting representatives from 16 countries. The visit originated from the growing interest of the countries to purchase utility aircraft using the FMS program.

In June, the Project Office handed over the logbook and keys for three UH-60A Black Hawk aircraft to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation during an aircraft exchange/sale -- also known as the Black Hawk Exchange and Sales Transaction or BEST. It is one of the ways the Army is divesting A model Black Hawks out of the inventory.

Additionally, the project office is moving forward with the Army's UH-60V Black Hawk program, which upgrades the L models to have digitized cockpits with electronic displays. The UH-60V will have the feel of an M model, and provides essential operational capability at the most affordable cost, maximizing value to the American taxpayer. It also avoids $1.5 billion in new procurement costs over UH-60L aircraft by leveraging the stable UH-60 RECAP program at the Corpus Christi Army Depot.

Cargo helicopters

The Cargo Helicopter Project Office is planning a block upgrade strategy to the CH-47F Chinook designed to affordably maintain platform relevance through the planned service life of 2060. A cornerstone of the first block upgrade, known as Block II, is to the rotor blade system -- the Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade -- which will significantly improve the performance of the helicopter in high-hot atmospheric conditions. The PM is also exploring a fuel system modification that improves reliability and allows for 80 additional gallons of fuel.

"We're really looking to key in on value propositions where we can," Col. Rob Barrie, project manager for Cargo Helicopters, said. The Army is conducting an analysis to determine the appropriate technologies to carry forward into the Block II program. The project office is seeking approval to enter the acquisition process in early 2015.

The Cargo project office successfully auctioned 14 CH-47D Chinooks on the General Services Administration website in 2014. Proceeds from the sales go toward the procurement of new F model Chinooks for the Army. To date, the GSA sales raised $35 million while providing the American taxpayer significant savings to demilitarize those aircraft.

Aviation systems

2014 saw the Aviation Systems Project Office working hard to modernize many of the 50-plus products in its portfolio.

Since June, the project office began fielding the new Common Aviation Tool System to five Combat Aviation Brigades and two state Army Reserve National Guard units. When fielding is complete in fiscal 2017, all New Aviation Tool System tool kits, which was fielded in the 1990s, will be out of the Army inventory.

The project office continues to provide Air Traffic Navigation, Integration, Coordination System Block 6 upgrade training to Air Traffic Control units around the globe; Block 6 incorporates a KG-175 into the ATNAVICS for Information Assurance.

The Centralized Aviation Flight Records System began fielding version 4, which incorporates the Individual Aircrew Training Folder into each record.

And thanks to an intense testing schedule, the APX-123 transponder earned the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System, Identification Friend or Foe, Mark XII/XIIA (AIMS) Program Office certification for the AH-64D, AH-64E, UH/HH-60M and A/MH-6M platforms.

Consequently the Army was the first service to declare initial operation capability for Mode 5, a full six months sooner than initially planned.

Armed scout helicopter

As part of the ARI, the Army decided to divest its OH-58D Kiowa Warrior fleet and cancel the associated upgrade programs to repurpose approximately $1.8 billion for critical Army aviation modernization programs and training.

The Armed Scout Helicopters Project Office is executing the divestment mission for OH-58D KWs, OH-58A/Cs and the TH-67 training helicopters. After receiving the Execution Order on April 4, the OH-58 KW divestment team immediately began implementing the Army's guidance. Twenty-six KWs from the 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, were identified as the first OH-58Ds to be divested. The next group of 29 KWs were divested from Fort Rucker on Oct. 27. These aircraft are now in non-flyable status undergoing divestment screening at the AMARG, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the storage facility located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

Approximately 336 KWs are scheduled to be divested from the Army, which will take roughly five years to complete.

Non-standard rotary wing aircraft

The Non-Standard Rotary Wing Aircraft Project Office is responsible for the successful procurement, fielding and sustainment of non-standard rotorcraft for DoD and partner nations as directed by OSD in support of Security Force Assistance missions.

In the four years since formally being chartered, the project office has delivered 118 new helicopters to Iraq, Afghanistan and other partner nations on schedule and within cost. The project office's successful performance has ensured that all aircraft in which Americans and its allies fly are dependable, airworthy and safe.

Although the project office's initial focus was the procurement and sustainment of Mi-17s helicopters, the emphasis has now shifted to partnering with U.S. aviation industry and original equipment manufacturers. By forging and strengthening ties with the U.S. aviation industry, everyone benefits; the buyer (partner nation) receives a government-to-government contract and program management, industry receives increased sales and the Army strengthens its military-to-military ties with the new owner through training opportunities and increased equipment interoperability and ultimately enable strategic goals of the United States.

Fixed wing

The past year saw several developments within the Fixed Wing Project Office. In July, during a change of charter ceremony, the office welcomed Col. Steve Clark as the new project manager.

The Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System Acquisition Category II program of record made great progress during 2014. The fiscal 2014 National Defense Authorization Act directed the Army to leverage existing Quick Reaction Capability aircraft fielded in support of overseas contingency operations and integrate them with the four Boeing built engineering and manufacturing aircraft to achieve the Army's procurement objective of 24 EMARSS aircraft. EMARSS provides the Army with the ability to detect, locate, identify and track surface targets, day or night, in almost any weather condition and provides Soldiers with ISR capabilities with a high degree of timeliness and accuracy.

Another aerial ISR POR, Airborne Reconnaissance Low is undergoing modernization by means of aircraft replacement and updated primary mission equipment. The Army will capitalize on the modernization strategy by repurposing existing quick reaction capability aircraft to replace the current legacy fleet.

The ARL program of record was validated in March 2013 by the vice chief of staff of the Army as an enduring ISR asset.

While these ISR programs are taking shape, an endeavor involving transport aircraft is advancing through the acquisition process with the Fixed Wing Utility Aircraft, a retirement and replacement program for the Army's aging C-12 and C-26 transport aircraft fleet. FUA will provide Army forces commanders flexibility in meeting time-sensitive movements of key personnel. In October, the TRADOC Capabilities Manager-Lift released the Capabilities Production Document for worldwide staffing and is under review.

As one program begins its service, the mission ends for others. Fixed Wing Project Office began divesting its C-23, C-20 and legacy RC-12 aircraft. The Guardrail fleet of RC-12s, an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, is also being divested. A total of 12 aircraft were divested in 2014 and another seven will be divested by the end of fiscal 2015. Some of these RC-12s have served the Army since 1978 and are being divested to meet the Army's requirements for the 2020 Aerial ISR Strategy.

The complexity of Army aviation and the acquisition community can be challenging, and we must adapt to current fiscal realities. But whatever changes, PEO Aviation's mission remains steadfast. The PEO Aviation workforce will always to continue to execute its primary objective: Reduce the burden on our Soldiers and field the finest Army aviation in the world.

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