TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla.: The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center sealed the deal on a pledge to America’s warfighters Oct. 4 by celebrating the depot maintenance of 55 KC-135 Stratotankers in fiscal 2010, the most in nearly two decades.
With the 76th Maintenance Wing heading the effort, the center vowed to help the Air Force keep more aircraft in the fight by reducing the amount of time KC-135s were in programmed depot maintenance.
“We made a promise to the Secretary of the Air Force that we were going to deliver 54 tankers this year on our way to 64 in fiscal 2012,” explained Maj. Gen. David Gillett, OC-ALC commander.
While praising the 76th Maintenance Wing for exceeding that target and delivering nine more aircraft than in fiscal 2009, the general noted that the modern-era milestone was set because “… the full spectrum of support across Team Tinker was focused on one thing — to support the mechanic.”
While praising the 76th Maintenance Wing for exceeding that target and delivering nine more aircraft than in fiscal 2009, the general noted that the modern-era milestone was set because “the full spectrum of support across Team Tinker was focused on one thing — to support the mechanic.”
During the Oct. 4 ceremony, Gen. Donald J. Hoffman, Air Force Materiel Command commander, congratulated the 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron for leading the way while noting that the production of 55 aircraft in a single year is “a milestone, not a destination.”
“The 55 aircraft you delivered back to the warfighter make a huge difference globally,” said the general. “You put global reach into the United States’ combat effectiveness. You enabled global power and global vigilance.”
General Hoffman concluded his remarks by presenting a commemorative photo of the KC-135 to Janis Wood, 564 AMXS director.
Maj. Gen. Daniel B. O’Hollaren, Air National Guard Assistant to the AFMC Commander, joined the senior leaders celebrating the milestone event by presenting the 76 AMXG with the Air National Guard Minuteman Trophy which recognizes the enthusiasm, reliability and patriotism of the KC-135 maintenance team.
Thirty of the 55 aircraft delivered by the 76 AMXG are Air National Guard aircraft.
“You need to feel good about yourself today,” said Brig. Gen. Bruce A. Litchfield, 76th Maintenance Wing commander. “You did something remarkable — you exceeded expectations.”
General Litchfield told the capacity crowd that the milestone-setting KC-135 being delivered to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan., today is being returned significantly ahead of schedule.
“Of the 55 aircraft produced, 33 were early,” said General Litchfield.
Col. Doug Cato, 76 AMXG commander, said that the ceremony is important because it recognizes the group’s ability to increase KC-135 aircraft availability to its customers: Air Mobility Command, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units.
“Think about that,” Colonel Cato said. “This is an Eisenhower-era airplane, so it’s 50-plus years old and operates in all sorts of environments worldwide, and yet we’re maintaining it and reducing the number of days in which we maintain the airplane. It’s through the support and hard work of our work force that we can have this great achievement.”
Prior to making the pledge to deliver more aircraft, the aircraft maintenance group produced 46 to 48 aircraft per year.
“We’ve worked a lot of process improvements over the past year and reduced flow days from fiscal 2009 at 224 flow days and the last 10 aircraft were at 187.4 flow days. That’s about a 36-day reduction in flow time from fiscal 2009 to 2010,” Colonel Cato said. “Flow-day reduction is important to meet increased organic inputs and improved aircraft availability.”
“That’s really what this ceremony is about,” Colonel Cato said. “We’re thanking the entire enterprise team for their hard work, for getting from 46 aircraft up to 55.”
