WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Since its launch on September 16, 2024, the Air Force Materiel Command’s Integrated Development Office (AFMC IDO) has been instrumental in shaping the future of the U.S. Air Force. The AFMC IDO is accelerating the delivery of cutting-edge warfighting tools across numerous fields, to include airpower projection, aircraft survivability, and point defense.
“We are at the crossroads of mission engineering, concept development, and next-generation acquisition methodologies,” said Amanda Gentry, AFMC IDO Director. “Providing a data-driven, rapidly iterative approach allows the Air Force to quickly analyze new technologies and operational concepts.”
A key focus for the IDO has been the future of mobility aircraft. In collaboration with the Program Executive Office Mobility, Air Mobility Command, and Headquarters Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration, and Requirements, the office has conducted multiple studies on options for upgrades to existing aircraft, aerial refueling, and future strategic airlift concepts. This foundational work paves the way for a faster, more technologically informed acquisition process. The IDO will leverage these studies into prototyping activities through the remainder of 2026, accelerating technology development and increasing decision trade space.
The IDO is also accelerating the fielding of long-range strike capacity for the warfighter by creating a unified strategy for kinetic effects across multiple Air Force organizations including Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and various Program Executive Offices.
In the realm of base defense, the office’s detailed analysis of counter-Unmanned Aircraft System technologies is directly informing USAF and Joint decision makers, ensuring investments are directed toward the most promising systems.
The IDO’s portfolio continues to grow across product lines such as battlespace awareness, force development, force application, and logistics. It continuously collaborates with the requirements community to chart a path for future USAF capabilities informed by warfighter needs.
“The IDO has influenced the maturation of multiple platforms and existing programs while coordinating with joint communities of interest to further the Air Force’s strategic goals,” said Gentry. “By accelerating timelines between market research and live testing, the IDO shifts towards a model that drives speed and accountability in fielding technology to programs of record.”
Seventeen months after its launch, the AFMC IDO has demonstrated a viable model for integrated capability development—one grounded in evidence, powered by analysis, and accelerated through continuous learning. By linking experimentation, modeling, and mission engineering into a single adaptive cycle, the office delivers options that enhance operational readiness and increase decision speed, ensuring the USAF remains at the forefront of both technological innovation and combat readiness.