WEBVTT 00:23.156 --> 00:28.128 Hi, I'm Brian Brackens with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Public Affairs Office. 00:28.762 --> 00:36.503 In this Leadership Log, we're speaking with Lieutenant Colonel Todd Myers. He is the Materiel Leader for ABMS. 00:36.503 --> 00:43.309 We're doing a lot with the program on the sort of back end infrastructure, but it's all geared towards 00:43.309 --> 00:52.052 getting to a state where we can push our mission applications out to where those decision makers, the air battle managers, etc. perform their mission 00:52.452 --> 00:57.724 And then they have the data, the situational awareness, uh, and the tools to be able to make better decisions 00:57.724 --> 01:01.828 along much faster timelines, uh, to meet the demands of the pacing threat. 01:02.962 --> 01:04.531 Colonel, thanks so much for joining us. 01:04.531 --> 01:07.667 I'm really looking forward to, to talking with you. 01:07.667 --> 01:13.039 I think what you do is very interesting and it's certainly a very, very important 01:13.039 --> 01:16.876 topic for the Air Force and the way we fight going forward in the future. 01:17.243 --> 01:19.079 So I appreciate you being here. 01:20.213 --> 01:20.947 Yeah, absolutely. 01:20.947 --> 01:23.650 Happy to be here and eager to dig into the questions. 01:24.951 --> 01:25.318 Awesome. 01:25.318 --> 01:31.758 So first, if you don't mind, if you just, uh, introduce yourself and, and, and tell us a little bit about what you do in your current job. 01:32.859 --> 01:33.393 Yeah, sure. 01:33.393 --> 01:39.599 So, uh, Lieutenant Colonel Todd Myers, um, currently the Materiel Leader for the Advanced Battle Management System portfolio, 01:40.366 --> 01:44.070 uh, which is really a division within, uh, the Department of the Air Force's Program 01:44.070 --> 01:47.807 Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management. 01:48.641 --> 01:53.513 Um, so I'm responsible for cost, schedule, and performance for seven or eight programs. 01:53.580 --> 02:01.321 Um, And, uh, we're really just, uh, driving investments across digital infrastructure, software and apps and aerial networking 02:01.321 --> 02:09.429 activities, working in tight partnership with a variety of stakeholders on the operational and acquisition side, uh, and especially, 02:09.429 --> 02:13.500 uh, working closely with the Advanced Battle Management System cross functional team, 02:13.766 --> 02:19.038 Headquarters Air Force, and then the PEOs architecture and system engineering team. 02:19.038 --> 02:23.443 So I know we'll, we'll dig into a lot of that as we, as we go through here, but a lot of 02:23.443 --> 02:27.180 stakeholders and a lot of programs all geared towards Advanced Battle Management System. 02:28.481 --> 02:31.518 So what exactly is the Advanced Battle Management System? 02:32.785 --> 02:33.052 Yeah. 02:33.052 --> 02:39.759 So I think, uh, anytime we talk about this topic, starting with the definitions is actually, is, is really critical. 02:40.393 --> 02:45.932 Uh, the Advanced Battle Management System has evolved quite a bit in the last four years, uh, 02:45.932 --> 02:51.504 including a variety of different sort of models for how, how the program was being pursued. 02:52.205 --> 02:59.045 Uh, originally, if you go, you know, three or four years back, uh, Advanced Battle Management System was really multiple things. 02:59.078 --> 03:01.948 It was a set of operational concepts. 03:02.282 --> 03:08.188 Uh, it was an Air Force level initiative that was trying to drive integration across the acquisition community. 03:09.088 --> 03:15.962 Uh, and then at the end of the day, it was also a specific program element, uh, that had dollars that were going towards specific programs. 03:15.995 --> 03:23.269 So, as you can imagine, that that created a lot of confusion across the Air Force, the fact that it was kind of 3 things at the same time. 03:24.170 --> 03:30.910 Uh, and so, the PEO being established under General Cropsey, the coining of the term DAF 03:30.944 --> 03:36.216 Battle Network, and really a stricter definition of what ABMS is, has been really critical. 03:36.449 --> 03:42.689 So, at the end of the day, ABMS is a program element, and it is a portfolio of programs. 03:42.689 --> 03:44.924 So, it is not a monolithic system. 03:45.425 --> 03:47.227 It is not a monolithic program. 03:48.094 --> 03:52.198 It's a set of investments that are being driven under that ABMS program element. 03:53.299 --> 03:57.003 That that will talk about the programs that are involved, but it's a set of activities. 03:57.003 --> 04:00.740 And so that's, uh, that's something that's always key is to kind of start with. 04:01.040 --> 04:03.376 How do we truly define what what a BMS is? 04:04.143 --> 04:07.714 Yeah, I agree because I've heard several different definitions of it. 04:07.714 --> 04:10.016 And I think your description of it is perfect. 04:11.084 --> 04:11.484 What... 04:11.484 --> 04:14.220 so you mentioned eight programs or activities that you're responsible for it. 04:14.220 --> 04:16.623 Can you mention it or go ahead and talk about a few of them? 04:17.490 --> 04:18.224 Yeah, of course. 04:18.224 --> 04:27.133 So, um, the way we talk about the portfolio is, is primarily, um, as for thrust areas and those thrust areas are 04:27.133 --> 04:33.239 driving investments across, uh, both the architecture and systems engineering, uh, work 04:33.273 --> 04:35.275 that DAF PEO C3BM is doing 04:35.275 --> 04:37.610 that defines what the DAF Battle Network is. 04:38.278 --> 04:42.849 Um, and then additionally, there are specific acquisition strategies and programs that 04:42.849 --> 04:48.054 are defined under digital infrastructure, software and apps, uh, an aerial networking. 04:48.121 --> 04:52.659 So I think one of our most high profile programs is cloud based C2. 04:53.459 --> 04:58.998 Uh, cloud based command and control is really a tactical command and control software effort uh, 04:58.998 --> 05:03.670 that's delivering software and infrastructure to our Air Force's air defense sectors. 05:04.404 --> 05:11.711 Um, and then we also have additional programs under digital infrastructure that are developing uh, secure compute and store uh, processing nodes. 05:12.979 --> 05:14.647 network capabilities as well. 05:14.681 --> 05:16.282 So that's kind of, that's a few of them. 05:16.449 --> 05:24.924 Um, we're developing a number of different products all geared towards trying to deliver, uh, secure processing, connectivity, data 05:24.924 --> 05:33.733 management, uh, and application capabilities to where our decision makers and command and control, uh, operators actually live and work. 05:34.901 --> 05:37.570 So, This all sounds very complex. 05:38.404 --> 05:39.772 Why is it necessary? 05:41.307 --> 05:42.542 Yeah, great question. 05:42.642 --> 05:53.052 So I think, um, one of the really key things that's happened over the course of how ABMS has evolved within the Air Force is, you know, as, 05:53.119 --> 06:05.198 as JSTARS, as the Air Force went away from JSTARS recap, um, you know, back 2018, 2019 timeframe and established a different approach, uh, to 06:05.198 --> 06:13.439 how we were going to develop battle management capabilities going forward, the program really kind of set off on a very technology centric 06:13.740 --> 06:21.748 um, set of activities, uh, and they were working under the chief architect's office to say, hey, there's all this commercial technology that's 06:21.748 --> 06:27.153 out there in the world, uh, that the military is no longer driving the weight of investment on. 06:27.153 --> 06:31.524 So, let's go out and get our hands on some of that commercial technology, and let's integrate 06:31.524 --> 06:35.862 it, um, into these large force exercises that we're going to do with combatant commands. 06:36.696 --> 06:45.972 So it was really, um, a compelling way to set, to show what the art of the possible was, uh, for ABMS, but it wasn't delivering 06:45.972 --> 06:50.543 sustainable capabilities that we were going to manage over a life cycle and kind of had 06:50.543 --> 06:56.382 all the documentation and infrastructure that we associate with Air Force programs. 06:57.383 --> 07:01.921 So, the Air Force leadership decided to take it and move it under the Rapid Capabilities Office. 07:01.954 --> 07:09.429 And they said, hey, we want you to put together the acquisition strategies, the requirements, the cost estimates, the life cycle management 07:09.429 --> 07:13.733 plans, et cetera, that that are needed to actually deliver sustainable capabilities. 07:14.500 --> 07:24.710 So the RCO spent a couple of years doing that, uh, and during that time, the Secretary of the Air Force came along and he said, 'Hey, 07:24.744 --> 07:30.383 the most important thing about this is making sure that is delivering operational benefits.' 07:30.383 --> 07:30.716 Right? 07:31.284 --> 07:35.388 Which seems intuitive, but for a program that was very sort of technology centric. 07:35.621 --> 07:38.925 You know, it was, it was a very poignant time for the program. 07:39.692 --> 07:47.166 The program was established under, um, operational imperative number 2 at that point and really started delivering, uh, the higher level 07:47.166 --> 07:57.743 architectures and the set of programs that, um, that the RCO had been defining, uh, and part and parcel of that was really the operational analysis 07:57.743 --> 08:06.018 that said, here's exactly the capabilities that we're delivering the operational outcomes that they're going to create and how they're actually 08:06.018 --> 08:11.591 going to help our warfighters and delivering that, um, decision advantage that we often talk about. 08:11.591 --> 08:12.058 So 08:12.058 --> 08:15.461 in PEO C3BM, we are 08:15.528 --> 08:21.367 always kind of focused on what is the operational outcome that our programs and architectures are trying to create. 08:22.802 --> 08:25.471 And so it depends on the program that you're actually talking about. 08:25.705 --> 08:31.611 Uh, it turns out that the DAF Battle Network and command and control in general are very wide ranging, right? 08:31.644 --> 08:36.716 And so kind of delving into the specifics on what is this capability actually going to deliver? 08:37.316 --> 08:41.821 Um, in terms of an advantage for our, for our warfighters is, is very important. 08:42.221 --> 08:49.428 Uh, but it also depends on a particular activity, the particular kill chain, um, the particular analysis that you're, that you're doing. 08:49.428 --> 08:56.435 So I think, uh, that's a long answer to your question, but really at the end of the day, uh, it depends on the capability 08:56.435 --> 09:03.843 we're developing, but we're always after creating that decision advantage by equipping our, our C2 operators and decision makers. 09:04.510 --> 09:07.213 Okay, so I'm trying to break this down as simply as I can. 09:07.213 --> 09:14.453 So essentially, is this all about collecting information and then making decisions? 09:15.154 --> 09:18.090 About whatever that information about the battlefield is. 09:19.425 --> 09:19.659 Yeah. 09:19.659 --> 09:24.730 So I think, um, one of the very useful constructs for us on the program side is 09:24.730 --> 09:28.501 something Secretary Kendall challenged with, uh, challenged us with early on. 09:29.235 --> 09:37.376 And he said, so in his mind, we were looking to take data, tactically relevant data from a variety of different sensor sources, 09:37.944 --> 09:42.448 deliver it to a location where a decision maker actually, you know, performs their 09:42.448 --> 09:48.821 C2 function in order to help them create a better decision along a faster timeline. 09:49.021 --> 09:51.591 So they can meet the demands of the highly contested environment. 09:52.091 --> 09:57.730 So we're doing a lot with the program on the sort of back end infrastructure. 09:58.030 --> 10:01.934 Secure compute and store, connectivity, radios, that sort of thing. 10:02.368 --> 10:09.475 But it's all geared towards getting to a state where we can push our mission applications out to where those decision makers, the air 10:09.475 --> 10:18.150 battle managers, et cetera, um, you know, perform their mission, uh, and then they have the data, the situational awareness, uh, and 10:18.150 --> 10:25.057 the tools to be able to make, again, you know, better decisions along much faster timelines, uh, to meet the demands of the pacing threat. 10:25.825 --> 10:30.630 And you briefly talked about this already, but just from a warfighter's perspective, can you talk just a little bit more about 10:30.997 --> 10:34.934 how, what you you're doing is, is going to help speed up the, the kill chain? 10:36.369 --> 10:37.203 Yeah, absolutely. 10:37.203 --> 10:46.078 So I think, um, you know, if you go out to some of the places where our operations centers are, our defense sectors, um, the different nodes 10:46.078 --> 10:57.590 in our network where our C2, uh, operators, you know, perform their mission on a daily basis, um, They need capabilities that ABMS is developing to 10:57.590 --> 11:06.632 improve their ability to quickly bring in data and then have the tools at their disposal that allow them to quickly identify if there's an anomalous 11:06.666 --> 11:11.871 track or a threat or something they need to be aware of on the Blue Force disposition side. 11:12.304 --> 11:15.174 Uh, and have those tools at their fingertips. 11:15.574 --> 11:23.215 Uh, often today, right, they're looking at multiple screens, multiple different systems, uh, and doing a lot of manual correlation 11:23.482 --> 11:32.825 and a lot of, uh, extremely manual tasks that we are trying to bring automated workflows to, uh, different software applications, 11:32.858 --> 11:37.296 um, that just put better tools at their fingertips to be able to manipulate data. 11:37.797 --> 11:43.302 Uh, I think the kind of familiar banner for some of these things was "sense," "make sense" and "act," right? 11:43.369 --> 11:48.674 Um, so that was kind of a way that Air Force leadership was trying to conceptualize, hey, 11:48.674 --> 11:54.246 we need to bring sense to data and, uh, be able to make a decision and move out quickly. 11:56.015 --> 11:57.717 Are you working with other services? 11:57.717 --> 12:04.490 And if so, like, um, can you talk a bit about that work and, you know, how, if the Air Force is different? 12:05.758 --> 12:06.559 Yeah, absolutely. 12:06.559 --> 12:13.432 So, I think under the combined combined joint, all domain command and control umbrella, that's 12:13.432 --> 12:18.738 really a joint war fighting concept that the Joint Staff owns and drives activities under. 12:19.071 --> 12:23.142 Each of the services has an effort that contributes to that. 12:23.609 --> 12:28.214 CJADC-2 is the acronym that, cJADC-2 overall joint warfighting concept. 12:28.214 --> 12:33.552 So the Air Force is, uh, the Advanced Battle Management System and ultimately the DAF Battle Network. 12:33.819 --> 12:35.554 The Navy's is Project Overmatch. 12:35.621 --> 12:38.591 Uh, the Army has, uh, an activity called Project Convergence. 12:39.091 --> 12:48.434 Uh, and so we have, you know, for the last few years been working, uh, very closely with the Navy, uh, and Army to bring to bear what 12:48.434 --> 12:52.838 we are doing on the BMC2 battle management, command and control capability development side 12:52.838 --> 12:59.445 for the Air Force, uh, into a joint integrated set of capabilities with those other services. 12:59.512 --> 13:09.989 So within, uh, PEO C3BM, the architecture team works very closely with the other services to make sure that the DAF Battle Network, the operational 13:09.989 --> 13:17.229 analysis and the architecture recommendations that come out of that team are informed by what's going on in the larger joint community. 13:17.696 --> 13:26.005 And then in the ABMS program office, we have engineers working tightly with other service representatives on things like application 13:26.005 --> 13:30.309 development and infrastructure capabilities that we intend to deploy in the coming years. 13:30.910 --> 13:35.981 Is your team like working on getting all of our platforms to be able to, to talk to each other? 13:36.849 --> 13:38.584 Is that is that a part of your portfolio? 13:39.318 --> 13:39.652 Yes. 13:39.652 --> 13:48.994 So I think, um, there are very sweeping terms applied to ABMS a lot of times, like, are we making all the platforms talk to each other? 13:49.762 --> 13:54.233 Especially as a program manager on my side I think it's very important to be clear about what 13:54.233 --> 13:58.370 are the integrations we're driving in alignment with that DAF Battle Network architecture. 13:58.370 --> 14:02.441 So, there are a variety of activities going on across the Air Force. 14:02.474 --> 14:08.914 Uh, I think I mentioned the DAF Battle Network consists of at least 50 programs, and it's really the confluence and 14:08.914 --> 14:13.085 integration of all of those programs that are delivering an integrated enterprise. 14:13.185 --> 14:18.924 So fundamentally ABMS wants to drive integration with those weapon system platforms. 14:19.391 --> 14:24.463 Um, and, and that is very tightly integrated into a lot of our programs that are going on. 14:24.830 --> 14:31.637 Uh, but we do it very much in partnership with a variety of other program offices that either own the weapon system development, or 14:31.637 --> 14:36.609 will be responsible for scaling capabilities further in those types of activities. 14:36.609 --> 14:42.748 So, um, I think it's important there to just be specific about integrations that we're trying 14:42.748 --> 14:47.887 to deliver and be disciplined as a program on when and how we're developing those activities. 14:48.053 --> 14:55.261 Let's talk a bit about just the use of AI and machine learning and, you know, how, what is, 14:55.294 --> 15:00.833 what is your team involved in AI or using AI and machine learning within, within the program? 15:02.067 --> 15:05.671 Yeah, so I think, uh, very popular question these days, right? 15:05.671 --> 15:11.443 For good reason, uh, super compelling, uh, technology being developed on the commercial side. 15:11.443 --> 15:12.077 And then a lot of. 15:12.244 --> 15:19.218 Uh, very interesting programs on the defense, uh, industry side as well, that we're working to wrap our hands around and 15:19.218 --> 15:24.256 understand how those capabilities should be folded into a C2 enterprise context. 15:24.723 --> 15:30.062 So, you know, as you can imagine, um, leadership is very keyed in on how are we 15:30.062 --> 15:35.668 going to prepare ourselves to integrate more advanced AI and ML capabilities. 15:36.268 --> 15:42.708 Were were involved with some of those activities now, specifically around things like course of action generation. 15:43.409 --> 15:52.117 How do I bring in a large amount of data, organize it in a way that our operators are able to quickly manipulate it? 15:52.184 --> 16:02.428 Have um, you know, different levels of modeling and detection applied to that data so that they can be equipped with suggested courses 16:02.428 --> 16:06.065 of action rather than doing all the manual correlation that I was referencing earlier. 16:06.665 --> 16:12.037 I think the thing we try to really focus in on an ABMS right now, is all of the underlying 16:12.037 --> 16:17.409 enabling capabilities that are required to actually bring in that AI/ML tooling layer. 16:17.977 --> 16:22.581 So things like the data architecture, the secure, compute and store infrastructure 16:22.581 --> 16:26.819 that's needed to power those capabilities, that's kind of our near term focus. 16:27.286 --> 16:33.492 While we do some application development that could be characterized as AI/ML capabilities as well. 16:33.525 --> 16:37.529 So we're really focused on getting kind of the blocking and tackling right. 16:37.896 --> 16:45.938 Uh, on the infrastructure and data architecture side, which really will facilitate, uh, that follow on AI/ML capability development. 16:46.672 --> 16:49.742 Okay, is what you do? 16:49.775 --> 16:55.547 Is it being driven by requirements from the warfighter or things that they're telling you that they need? 16:55.547 --> 17:01.420 Or are you just looking at the big picture to say this is this is what the Air Force needs. 17:01.420 --> 17:02.988 This is how we're going to fight in the future? 17:03.889 --> 17:04.990 Yeah, great question. 17:05.124 --> 17:11.430 Um, always an interesting question to, uh, to program manager on on what the requirements development side of the house is doing. 17:12.064 --> 17:17.236 Uh, ABMS has been, um, somewhat unique in its approach to that. 17:17.803 --> 17:23.409 Uh, we have, uh, like I mentioned earlier, an cross functional team at the Headquarters Air Force level. 17:23.842 --> 17:33.318 They are really the um, requirements owning organization, uh, that's driving a coherent requirements development landscape for ABMS, 17:33.519 --> 17:41.760 uh, with an enterprise is varied and enlarge as the command and control enterprise, uh, that CFT function is really critical. 17:42.161 --> 17:47.399 There are also really important, uh, requirements owners, uh, like Air Combat Command. 17:47.933 --> 17:55.808 Uh, we do a lot of work with unit level folks to make sure that there's tight operator feedback into our, um, delivered capabilities, 17:55.808 --> 18:01.180 so we can be factoring in, you know, what are the folks who are really, you know, at an air 18:01.180 --> 18:06.919 defense sector, for example, saying about what we need to develop, uh, how are things working? 18:07.186 --> 18:09.588 What do we need to drive in terms of new feature development? 18:09.955 --> 18:16.361 So I'd say it's sort of a multi tiered approach there, where we have the Headquarters Air Force level cross functional team. 18:16.762 --> 18:23.602 We've got a strong MAJCOM voice from folks like Air Combat Command and Pacific Air Forces and U. 18:23.602 --> 18:23.702 S. 18:23.702 --> 18:24.703 Air Forces in Europe. 18:25.604 --> 18:27.773 We have direct unit level interaction. 18:28.207 --> 18:32.611 Um, that's helping us really stay tight with those, uh, those operators at the ground level. 18:33.245 --> 18:40.085 And then very importantly for us, uh, PEO C3BM has an architecture team, uh, that's led by a guy named Dr. 18:40.085 --> 18:40.652 Tipton. 18:41.019 --> 18:46.125 And they're developing architecture requirements that are critical to us to make sure that we're 18:46.125 --> 18:52.131 delivering as part of a cohesive enterprise with the remainder of the DAF Battle Network programs. 18:52.598 --> 18:56.668 So there's, there's a lot of different sort of avenues for requirements development that 18:56.668 --> 19:01.406 are applicable to ABMS, and that's kind of a landscape of who that consists of right now. 19:02.307 --> 19:06.979 How do organizations like the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center fit into all of this? 19:07.012 --> 19:09.181 You know, is the center writing the code? 19:09.882 --> 19:13.986 Um, you know, are the PEOs and Directorates, are they acquiring the hardware for all of this? 19:13.986 --> 19:16.221 If you don't mind just touching a little bit on that. 19:16.889 --> 19:17.589 Yeah, of course. 19:17.589 --> 19:25.931 So, um, very importantly, um, PEO C3BM is comprised of Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Personnel. 19:26.398 --> 19:32.971 It's comprised of Rapid Capabilities Office personnel, uh, comprised of Air Force Research Lab, uh, personnel as well. 19:32.971 --> 19:38.610 So, uh, the PEO draws on expertise, uh, from a number of different sources 19:38.610 --> 19:42.548 within, uh, the department of the Air Force's acquisition enterprise. 19:42.948 --> 19:48.053 There are Space Force, uh, personnel involved as well from, from places like the Space Systems Center. 19:48.787 --> 19:54.526 Um, there is a great representative set of, uh, of folks on the team that are helping 19:54.526 --> 19:59.531 to define the DAF Battle Network and then deliver capabilities within the ABMS portfolio. 20:00.098 --> 20:05.370 So, to answer your question, LCMC is directly folded into my program office. 20:05.370 --> 20:07.206 That's where most of our personnel come from. 20:07.839 --> 20:14.646 Um, and then, uh, just to go another kind of, uh, lens on it for all of our programs 20:14.646 --> 20:18.684 under the ABMS portfolio, we're partnering directly with other program offices. 20:18.684 --> 20:27.526 So, whether they're program offices at Hanscom, uh, Wright-Patt, uh, Um, Space Systems Center, like I mentioned earlier, obviously, our test 20:27.526 --> 20:37.336 enterprise folks down in Eglin, we're partnering directly with those programs to make sure that is delivering capabilities that lean on some of those 20:37.369 --> 20:41.173 enterprise solutions that have been developed by all our great program office partners. 20:41.173 --> 20:41.573 So. 20:42.040 --> 20:49.948 There's multiple ways AFLCMC is, is contributing to ABMS, both in terms of my team, uh, specifically, and then also 20:49.948 --> 20:56.888 in these deep program partnerships that we've developed with folks like Kessel Run and, uh, meshONE-T and, and many others. 20:57.656 --> 21:07.532 Current conflicts around the world, is that, are those in any way influencing the development of your program in any way? 21:08.467 --> 21:09.434 Yeah, absolutely. 21:09.434 --> 21:13.038 So, um, I mentioned the cross functional team. 21:13.205 --> 21:16.375 I mentioned the, uh, PEO's architecture team. 21:16.875 --> 21:23.949 Those are the folks that are really driving the operational analysis that goes into defining the requirements and the technical 21:23.949 --> 21:29.621 architecture, uh, that, plays a heavy role in defining what ABMS will actually deliver. 21:30.188 --> 21:37.763 So I would say, you know, drawing on the lessons that are being learned in current conflicts is is a critical piece of that. 21:38.397 --> 21:42.401 Um, I would also say that, uh, capabilities that we're developing, um... 21:42.534 --> 21:50.442 General Cropsey has a, um a philosophy where we want to be kicking capability out the door from ABMS on a quarterly basis. 21:51.109 --> 21:57.115 So that's obviously a pretty significant departure compared to some of our more traditional programs in the past. 21:57.783 --> 22:04.990 Uh, but part of that is, we're trying to continuously deliver capabilities and then bring that feedback in from the unit level folks that 22:05.023 --> 22:13.365 I mentioned earlier and, you know, those unit level personnel are really the ones who are seeing what's going on, you know, in theater and 22:13.365 --> 22:20.939 then factoring that into the feedback they're giving us that we then use to do further feature development and deliver future capabilities. 22:20.939 --> 22:22.841 So, uh, absolutely. 22:22.841 --> 22:28.580 I think that's a, that's a key part of, um, kind of the, the vector we're on as a program office and making sure we're 22:28.580 --> 22:31.983 staying current on, uh, you know, what we're seeing in the conflicts out there. 22:32.718 --> 22:36.321 It sounds like there's a big logistics piece in this as well. 22:36.688 --> 22:38.357 I'll just listen to you talk. 22:39.358 --> 22:40.158 Yeah, absolutely. 22:40.158 --> 22:46.965 So I think, um, you know, one of the things we're trying to wrap our arms around as a program, uh, that's doing a variety of different prototyping 22:47.699 --> 22:57.109 activities with, um, you know, a wide swath of commercial technologies is how do we need to, um, structure our sustainment plans and our 22:57.109 --> 23:06.218 life cycle management plans, uh, to be able to, uh, ensure the technology in the field stays current uh, and so we're able to update and 23:06.218 --> 23:15.260 continually modernize that capability, um, but also make sure that, um, you know, the operators in the field are very familiar and trained up 23:15.293 --> 23:23.602 on what that technology entails, uh, how they maintain it, uh, how we support it from a program office standpoint, a logistics standpoint. 23:23.869 --> 23:32.711 So absolutely, I think that's, um, a key part of what we are, um, developing, a variety of programs for right now is to inform that 23:32.744 --> 23:38.550 approach to how we are going to sustain and support the logistics tails that come with the capabilities that we're developing. 23:41.153 --> 23:46.558 It sounds like you have a very, very tough job, just, just thinking about all that you have to do, 23:46.558 --> 23:51.930 all the pieces, like in the data, uh, that you're, you know, that you're responsible for supporting. 23:52.431 --> 23:53.632 It sounds challenging. 23:54.499 --> 23:55.634 It's definitely a challenge. 23:55.700 --> 23:58.336 Uh, it's very, uh, it's a very dynamic program. 23:58.904 --> 24:02.107 Um, we are extremely fortunate to have a. 24:02.407 --> 24:06.144 very talented team, uh, and really a multidisciplinary team. 24:06.144 --> 24:09.147 We have embedded air battle managers in the program office. 24:09.614 --> 24:12.584 We have extremely capable engineers and program managers. 24:12.918 --> 24:20.258 We have ABMS cross functional team at the headquarters level, great support from the MAJCOMs, great support from unit level folks. 24:20.258 --> 24:23.261 So, uh, it's definitely a challenging program. 24:23.695 --> 24:26.398 Uh, it's, it's a high visibility program. 24:26.765 --> 24:33.038 Uh, and with that comes a lot of, uh, support from, from leadership and, uh, you know, it's really the, the talent 24:33.038 --> 24:36.408 of the team that's allowing us to manage that complexity and continue to deliver. 24:36.808 --> 24:40.612 Sir, that's all the, those, all the questions that I have so far. 24:40.612 --> 24:42.714 Is there anything that you would like to add? 24:44.716 --> 24:50.088 Um, no, I think, uh, I think that was a pretty good, uh, rundown on the, on the landscape of the program. 24:50.088 --> 24:55.727 I would just say, you know, we're, we're keenly focused on making sure that we're very responsive 24:55.727 --> 25:01.132 to operator needs, uh, across, you know, a very far reaching command and control enterprise. 25:01.132 --> 25:07.772 So, um, we're working closely with our architecture team, working closely with warfighters, uh, and trying to keep up the 25:07.772 --> 25:13.311 momentum we've built, uh, over the last couple of years and ensure that operators are starting to get that capability in their hands. 25:13.812 --> 25:18.884 Um, and we're developing the robust programs that can, uh, that can keep supporting them for years to come. 25:20.852 --> 25:21.253 Awesome. 25:21.253 --> 25:24.122 Well, thanks so much again for stopping by to talk. 25:24.155 --> 25:31.129 I think the work that you're doing is super important to the Air Force and especially the Air Force success going forward. 25:31.129 --> 25:37.435 And I look forward to talking with you again about new updates and the next steps with your organization. 25:38.069 --> 25:38.737 Yeah, absolutely. 25:38.770 --> 25:43.842 Thanks for having me and appreciate all the questions and curiosity about ABMS.