Key maintenance, logistics functions realign

Posted on: Dec. 11th, 2007 || Source: AFPN | E-mail Article | Print Article

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The alignment of fighter and combat search and rescue aircraft maintenance units under flying squadrons was announced by the Air Force chief of the staff Dec. 7 here.

Between July and November 2008, AMUs supporting fighter and CSAR flying squadrons will realign within those squadrons, Gen. T. Michael Moseley said.

"I believe the most effective formula is to structure Air Force units by mission and not by function, and aligning maintenance units responsible for sortie generation together with the flying squadrons they support is best for our Air Force," General Moseley said. "Aircraft maintenance is a vital element of a flying squadron's mission, and the maintainers that directly support sortie generation belong in that chain of command."

Additionally, the new organizational construct will give flying squadron commanders at home station all the necessary resources and authority to execute their missions, while ensuring consistency with operations at deployed locations. Further, it will provide combatant commanders with the most complete and capable fighting squadrons possible, he said.

With this reorganization, the Air Force is given an opportunity to create a new process-aligned structure that will better support the logistics enterprise, flying wings and combatant commanders, General Moseley said.

Simultaneous with the fighter and CSAR maintenance units' realignment, maintenance groups across the Air Force will deactivate and materiel groups will stand up in their place. The materiel groups will include logistics readiness squadrons, aerial port squadrons and the remaining maintenance squadrons.

"This alignment will consolidate traditional logistics functions under a single logistics leader in the wing and position the logistics community for future transformation initiatives," General Moseley said. "It will also better prepare our maintenance and logistics officers for senior leadership positions.

"The squadron is the building block of Air Force organizational structure, and they must be organized for success," the general said. "These initiatives allow us to take advantage or process improvements, pool our resources and reorient our squadrons around our mission."

Air Force leaders are still examining organizational options for bomber, mobility, special operations and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.
Over the next 18 months, Air Force officials will conduct analysis with major commands to determine the correct organizational solutions for the remaining platforms.
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