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FORT WORTH, Texas – Defense Contract Management Agency senior leaders stood up the Vertical Lift and Fixed Wing organizations at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth during an establishment ceremony June 10. Sonya Ebright, DCMA deputy director, hosted the event. Approximately 75 people attended in person and more than 200 watched online.
“DCMA is moving into a new age with the standup of the Fixed Wing and Vertical Lift contract management offices,” said Ebright. “These two commands are a part of DCMA’s new command structure and will use automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and strategic collaboration with our customers and each contract management office to increase data sharing and early warning oversight of the supply chain. We provide Department of Defense advanced insight and solutions to increase the speed of delivery of high-performing weapon systems to our warfighters.”
The two CMOs will fall under the new DCMA Systems Command, which is led by interim director Jorge Bennett, the executive director of the Cost and Pricing Command.
Both Vertical Lift and Fixed Wing offices are a combination of nine existing offices that are a part of the DCMA Vision restructuring, which allows the agency to pivot and provide more efficient and enhanced customer service to the nation’s warfighters.
After the restructuring is complete in October, most of the agency’s CMOs will fall under the DCMA Systems Command led by Bennett or the DCMA Geographic & Systems Support Command, which is led by interim director Juanita Christensen, who is also the executive director of the Technical Directorate at DCMA headquarters at Fort Lee, Virginia. The DCMA Systems Command and DCMA Geographic & Systems Support Command will replace the Central, Eastern and Western Region Commands.
DCMA Vertical Lift
The Vertical Lift CMO will be led by Navy Capt. David Calhoun.
“We are not just launching an organization today, we are advancing a vision,” Calhoun said. “A vision defined by progress and responsibility. Together, we will contribute to the delivery of vertical lift aircraft, components and related services safely and on-time.”
The CMO comprises DCMA Vertical Lift Mesa, DCMA Vertical Lift Owego, DCMA Vertical Lift Philadelphia, DCMA Vertical Lift Stratford and DCMA Vertical Lift Texas. Vertical Lift has 397 employees and 67 military personnel. The new CMO will manage 15,566 active contracts valued at $250 billion.
The organizations were previously known as DCMA Bell Textron Fort Worth, DCMA Boeing Mesa, DCMA Boeing Philadelphia, DCMA Lockheed Martin Owego, and DCMA Sikorsky Aircraft Stratford.
“This moment marks the beginning of an organization that is built upon a foundation of innovation, excellence, and a shared passion for the timely and quality delivery of vertical lift aircraft, spare components, and related services,” said Calhoun.
“As the aviation and vertical lift landscape continues to evolve, we must rise to meet new challenges and seize new opportunities. That is why this organization exists — to lead, to inspire, and to build a future where vertical lift aviation thrives,” he added.
Calhoun said the mission of the Vertical Lift CMO will be to promote safety and operational excellence, enhance operational readiness, and maintain a pulse on the health of the defense industrial base.
“Safety is the backbone of aviation," he said. "Every flight, every component, and every process must be rooted in the principle of safely completing our product acceptance mission and, critically, the operational missions these weapon systems enable."
“System availability is the building block all training and execution plans depend upon," Calhoun added. "We draw on our presence and experience to positively influence on-time delivery and realistic delay notice when forecast. The Systems Command portfolio is inherently global. The chain of command may localize our area of application, but surveillance, the acceptance of product, and proper payment unite us all. This organization will work to strengthen our existing collaboration, build new partnerships within our reorganization and contribute to the defense industrial base body of knowledge."
DCMA Vertical Lift Philadelphia is commanded by Army Col. Havard Whiles. VL Philadelphia manages the production of the CH-47 Chinook, V-22 Osprey, MH-139 Grey Wolf and TH73 Thrasher aircraft. DCMA Vertical Lift Mesa is commanded by Army Lt. Col. John Holcomb. VL Mesa manages the production of the AH-64 Apache, AH-6i Light Attack and Reconnaissance Helicopter, and the MD-530 Cayuse Warrior helicopter.
DCMA Vertical Lift Stratford is led by Navy Capt. Daniel Short. VL Stratford manages the production of the H-60 helicopters in Black Hawk family, including the Seahawk, Pave Hawk, JayHawk, and White Hawk; CH-53K King Stallion; and VH-92 Patriot platforms. DCMA Vertical Lift Owego is led by Navy Cmdr. Michael Eckert. VL Owego manages the production of the MH-60R Seahawk and VH-92A Patriot platforms. DCMA Vertical Lift Texas is commanded by Navy Capt. David Calhoun. VL Texas manages the production of the V-22 Osprey, H-1 upgrades for the AH-1Z Viper/UH-1Y Venom, and the office will manage the production of the MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.
DCMA Fixed Wing
The Fixed Wing CMO will be led by Air Force Col. Michael Hansen. It comprises DCMA Fixed Wing St. Louis, DCMA Fixed Wing Puget Sound, DCMA Fixed Wing Fort Worth, and DCMA Fixed Wing Marietta. The organizations were previously known as DCMA Boeing St. Louis, DCMA Boeing Seattle, DCMA Lockheed Martin Fort Worth, and DCMA Lockheed Martin Marietta.
During his remarks, Hansen also spoke about the agency and its relationship with the defense industrial base.
“The importance of our defense industrial base is well understood. The challenges it faces are different, but the stakes are just as high, and we need it to deliver for our warfighters,” Hansen said. “The complexity of modern aircraft production, the evolving threat environment, and the rapid pace of technological change all demand that we adapt, along with industry and our military customers. That is why the creation of DCMA Fixed Wing, and the role it will play in holding the aviation industry accountable, is so important.”
The Fixed Wing organization has 506 employees, 76 military personnel and 106 mission partners. The new CMO will manage 7,283 active contracts valued at $647.72 billion.
“We are connecting a DCMA workforce from across the country with deep expertise in aircraft production and a growing understanding of the industry’s supply chain, and we will leverage this network to better enable our suppliers,” said Hansen.
“We will be uniquely postured to gather and make sense of data as a fixed-wing enterprise. We are generating factory-level intelligence that will help our acquisition professionals make smart decisions, whether those are for legacy programs like the C-130 Hercules, with its remarkable 70-year production run and enduring manual processes, or cutting-edge platforms like the MQ-25 Stingray, which is redefining what’s possible with unmanned systems, or adapting commercial platforms for military use as with the KC-46A Pegasus, or supporting the ever-evolving F-35 (Lightning II), which continues to set the standard for fighter aircraft worldwide,” Hansen added.
DCMA Fixed Wing Puget Sound is commanded by Air Force Col. Daniel Stupinski. The office ensures delivery of commercial derivative aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon and the KC-46A Pegasus for the Navy and important allies around the world.
DCMA Fixed Wing St. Louis is commanded by Navy Capt. Daniel Martin. FW St. Louis is comprised of approximately 250 civilian and military personnel who deliver the F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet, and T-7A Red Hawk aircraft to military customers around the world, as well as thousands of weapons and parts for many Department of Defense platforms.
DCMA Fixed Wing Marietta is led by Air Force Col. Michael Hansen. The office manages a variety of contracts, including the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. During the ceremony, leaders noted the C-130’s legacy and the Marietta plant’s strategic importance that has made it a cornerstone of the nation’s defense industrial base.
DCMA Fixed Wing Fort Worth is led by Air Force Col. Rodney Lambert. The office oversees the F-35 Lightning II program. Leaders praised the employees at the office for providing oversight by managing the complexities of modern aerospace contracts.
DCMA Vision
In addition to the establishment ceremony of Vertical Lift and Fixed Wing, leaders met June 10-12 to discuss the overall agency’s new restructuring plan as part of DCMA Vision. Besides the DCMA Systems Command and the DCMA Geographic & Systems Support Command, there will be three operational centers: Operational Learning Center, Operational Analytics & Integration Center, and the Operational Business Center.
During the three-day forum, leaders discussed a variety of topics, including CMO structure, mission support, workload analysis, financial management and the Fiscal Year 2026 outlook.
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2025 12:31 |
| Story ID: | 508915 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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