AEDC engine test team benefitting from Combined Test Force

  • Published
  • By Deidre Ortiz
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  While Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) personnel are adjusting to performing as a Combined Test Force (CTF), Lt. Col. Anthony Walker, Materiel Leader of the Aeropropulsion Ground Test Branch and Director of the Aeropropulsion CTF, said he's already seen progress in process improvement and enhanced efficiency within the Aeropropulsion Ground Test Branch.

"It's going well," Walker said. "I feel that this has opened up lines of communication, and now there's insight as to what everyone, as a team, is doing. So, actually it's helping our people make better decisions for their job."

He added that the ones working at ground level are now able to have more input on the test projects they're working on than they perhaps had in the past.

"Now when we're talking [about a project] we're able to make a decision instead of having to go through all these different levels. CTF has definitely been well received, and for me, it provides more insight into the full scope of effort required to maintain and operate the Aeropropulsion facilities vs. 'just execute the testing.'"

Walker noted the switch will be challenging in some aspects because AEDC has been functionally-aligned for the last 50 years.

"The previous functional alignment, while effective, was vertically aligned with some decisions being made with a functional lens versus customer focused," he said. "The new mission alignment increases our ability to quickly respond to customer changes by reducing functional barriers and increasing the integration of functions at the project level. Further, it helps to ensure we have adequate information and holistic understanding as we make decisions."

He stated that while some ETF staff may have been hesitant when Sept. 30 rolled around last year, everyone has continued working together and "all-in-all, it's going much better than anticipated."

"We're still doing everything we've done before," Walker said. "We have a lot of smart people with a lot of experience, and what this has done is allowed us to empower those people and capitalize on their decisions."

Walker also mentioned another positive outcome of the CTF may be reducing duplication of effort.

"Because the solutions we come up with will be more missioned aligned," he said. "So, while functions will still help in getting the work done, it will broaden our horizons by having staff think outside of their functions."

In addition to the test teams, customers will also benefit from CTF, according to Walker.

"Focus is on making sure customer questions are answered and geared toward getting the customer what they need."

"I honestly think it's going great and that it's working because of our people," Walker continued. "They understand the direction we're going and they're the ones making the mission happen. More importantly, this reorganization facilitates accomplishing AEDC's strategic goals and better aligns the Aeropropulsion CTF to meet the needs of customers today and the future customers of tomorrow."