TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Dr. William Roper discussed Air Force innovation initiatives, and the implications for Tinker Air Force Base and Oklahoma City, at an event Nov. 7 at the Sheraton Midwest City.
The State of the Aerospace Defense Industry, hosted annually by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, highlights opportunities and challenges in the aerospace defense industry.
In the past, speakers have included Tinker AFB commanders, Sen. Jim Inhofe and executives from private aerospace companies, such as Boeing.
Roper spoke to an audience of about 350 local officials, chamber members and the Tinker Leadership Council.
Roper discussed how the aerospace industry has shifted while the Air Force was focused on counter terrorism.
This disconnect risks the U.S. from being competitive with rising world powers the way it was during the Cold War, he said.
“The industry pivot that happened from mechanical to electronic has now pivoted to digital. That is where most innovation is occurring. We are still focused on a future Air Force mainly in the electronic sphere,” Roper said.
“We are going to have to imagine and build a completely different Air Force using the increasingly commercial industry base we have.”
The Air Force has a good starting foundation due to technology making things cheaper and faster, enthusiasm is growing in the U.S. for things like drones and the development of artificial intelligence.”
Additionally, Roper said the Air Force is doing a good job of increasing its speed of acquisition — with time being the “holy grail” of acquisition when it comes to being competitive.
“With those things together, I can imagine an Air Force that’s pretty awesome and pretty different than the one we have today. I’m excited in playing a role in helping to start building that kind of Air Force as we sustain the one that we have today,” Roper said.
He said the Air Force is working on a process to reduce the time it takes to contract with smaller start-ups to increase the flow of ideas, as well as investing more research and development money into sustainment to bring in the latest technology.
As far as the city and communities around Tinker AFB, Roper said it is important for them to be “champions of new aerospace,” incubating new aerospace companies to grow the industry base.
Oklahoma City can also help by being part of the Air Force’s focus on the acquisition schedule, Roper said.
“There is a lot of work to go around. I am really happy to hear that Oklahoma City wants to be one of those cities where aerospace in one of the first things you think about when you think about what happens there,” Roper said.
“I’m excited about the pathfinders we’ve taken. I think the Air Force has pivoted and taken good first steps to competing again.”