Created to push air and space power into the 21st century by identifing and measureing operations and logistics concepts by retired Col. Gary Armistead
Battlelab Task Force
Washington, D.C.
| Created to push air and space power into the 21st century by identifing and measureing operations and logistics concepts by retired Col. Gary Armistead Battlelab Task Force Washington, D.C. |
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Technology is moving so fast with many new opportunities to pursue--to many for the Air Force to take advantage of in an era of reduced resources.
In response, the Air Force has created an environment where operations concepts drive our investment in technology, creating a pull on the technology base.
Exploration of operations concepts through a network of Air Force Battlelabs will provide the Air Force with opportunities to reach investment decisions quicker and carry out, organize, train and equip programs faster.
The Air Force launched this unprecedented effort to help air and space power leap forward toward 21st century concepts and capabilities.
The location of the battlelabs will be key to their success. The Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab is located with the composite wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
Other battlelabs are located near key Air Force Warfare Centers to take advantage of ongoing activities. Warfare centers often identify innovative ideas, but have no organization to investigate them. The new Air Force Battlelabs provide that function.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab and Battle Management Battlelab are aligned with the Air Warfare Center in Florida at Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field respectively.
The Space Battlelab is co-located with the Space Warfare Center at Falcon Air Force Base, Colo. The Air Intelligence Agency will run the Information Warfare Battlelab, co-located with the Information Warfare Center. The Force Protection Battlelab is located with the new Security Forces Center at Lackland Air Force Base.
The battlelabs also work with Air Force Materiel Command to gain technology, expertise and contract support.
The Air Combat Command will operate all the battlelabs except for the two located in San Antonio, Texas and the Space Battlelab.
The battlelabs will have no more than 25 personnel and will operate under limited funding. They will be sharply focused on identifying innovative operations and logistics concepts, planning a campaign to measure the worth of the innovative ideas, leading a team of experts from across the Air Force to execute the campaign and then reporting the results to Air Force senior leadership.
To measure an idea's worth, the battlelabs may call upon research labs to provide technology, expertise or integration support. Research labs provide a technology push and battlelabs develop the innovative operations concepts that pull on the technology base.
Battlelabs will provide the Air Force with an opportunity to change course--to produce a different set of capabilities to enable new doctrine and tactics.
The success of this approach will depend on many people, ideas and organizations. We believe the Air Force is ready to seize the opportunity and we are confident AIA will play a significant role in the battlelab effort.
Retrun to July 97