Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Shield (Color), U.S. Air Force graphic. In accordance with Chapter 3 of AFI 84-105, commercial reproduction of this emblem is NOT permitted without the permission of the proponent organizational/unit commander.
With headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Air Force Materiel Command is a major command created July 1, 1992. The command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war.
Mission
Equip the Air Force for World-Dominant Airpower
AFMC delivers war-winning expeditionary capabilities to the warfighter through development and transition of technology, professional acquisition management, exacting test and evaluation, and world-class sustainment of all Air Force weapon systems. From cradle-to-grave, AFMC provides the work force and infrastructure necessary to ensure the United States remains the world's most respected air and space force.
Vision One Team, Delivering Capabilities to Fly, Fight and Win ... Today and Tomorrow
People and Resources
AFMC employs a highly professional and skilled command work force of some 80,000 military and civilian employees.
Organization
AFMC fulfills its mission of equipping the Air Force with the best weapon systems through the Air Force Research Laboratory and several unique centers which are responsible for the "cradle-to-grave" oversight for aircraft, electronic systems, missiles and munitions.
The AFMC headquarters is a major unit located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. There are nine AFMC host bases: Arnold AFB, Tenn.; Edwards AFB, Calif.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Hanscom AFB, Mass.; Hill AFB, Utah; Kirtland AFB, N.M.; Robins AFB, Ga.; Tinker AFB, Okla.; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. In addition, the command operates associate units on several non-AFMC bases.
Over the years, AFMC has adapted to an ever-changing environment. Its most significant change came in November 2011 when it reduced the number of its centers from 12 to five, placing greater emphasis on standardization and efficiency.
AFMC's Five Centers
Science and Technology
Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
AFRL is the Air Force's only organization wholly dedicated to leading the discovery, development and integration of warfighting technologies for air, space and cyberspace forces. With a technically diverse workforce of more than 10,200 employees, distributed across nine technical directorates and 40 other operating locations worldwide, AFRL leverages a diverse science and technology portfolio that ranges from fundamental and advanced research to advanced technology development. The lab also provides a wide range of technical services to joint acquisition, logistics, aerospace medicine and operational warfighting communities.
AFRL's headquarters, 711th Human Performance Wing, Aerospace Systems, Materials and Manufacturing and Sensors Directorates are located at Wright-Patterson AFB.
Kirtland AFB, N.M., is home to the Directed Energy and Space Vehicles Directorates.
AFRL's Munitions Directorate is located at Eglin AFB, Fla., and advanced cyber technology research takes place at the Information Directorate in Rome, N.Y.
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research at Arlington, Va., manages the Air Force basic research program within AFRL, as well as cooperatively with industry and universities around the world.
Life Cycle Management
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC)
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
The AFLCMC mission is to deliver affordable and sustainable war-winning capabilities to U.S. and international partners, on time, on cost, anywhere, anytime from cradle to grave. AFLCMC is the single center responsible for total life cycle management of all aircraft, engines, munitions, and electronic systems. AFLCMC's workforce of nearly 26,000 is located at 75 locations across the globe -- from Peterson AFB, Colo., to Oslo, Norway.
AFLCMC's portfolio includes Information Technology systems and networks; Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems; armaments; strategic systems; aerial platforms; and, various specialized or supporting systems such as simulators or personal equipment. AFLCMC also executes sales of aircraft and other defense-related equipment, while building security assistance relationships with foreign partner nation air forces.
AFLCMC is headquartered at Wright-Patterson, where Program Executive Officers oversee life cycle management of fighters, bombers, mobility, and tanker aircraft; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces weapon systems; as well as agile combat support systems, such as training aircraft and simulators.
The Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate conducts the foreign military sales mission. AFLCMC directorates at Wright-Patterson AFB provide intelligence, engineering, budget estimation, contracting and other operational support.
Wright-Patterson is also home to the 88th Air Base Wing.
Program Office personnel located at the Hill AFB, Utah, Robins AFB, Ga., and Tinker AFB, Okla., air logistics complexes provide weapons system product support and report to respective AFLCMC PEOs. Tinker is also host to AFLCMC's Propulsion Directorate which directs engine product support.
AFLCMC's Armament Directorate located at Eglin AFB, Fla., manages aerial delivered weapons and armaments.
Nuclear weapons life cycle management is accomplished by AFLCMC's Strategic Systems Directorate at Kirtland AFB, N.M.
AFLCMC's Battle Management and C3I/Networks Directorates and supporting 66th Air Base Group are located at Hanscom AFB, Mass.
Operational support information technology systems management is accomplished by AFLCMC's Business Enterprise Systems Directorate at Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.
Test and Evaluation
Air Force Test Center (AFTC)
Edwards AFB, Calif.
The AFTC mission is to conduct developmental test and evaluation of air, space and cyber systems, and provide timely, objective and accurate information to decision makers. The AFTC directs the developmental test and evaluation of air, space and cyber systems for military services, other U.S. government agencies and international partners, in addition to operating the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.
Arnold Engineering Development Complex, located at Arnold AFB, Tenn., is home to the most advanced and largest complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world.
The 96th Test Wing, located at Eglin AFB, Fla., and Holloman AFB, N.M., leads the Air Force's test and evaluation of air-delivered weapons, navigation and guidance systems, command and control systems, and Air Force Special Operations Command systems.
The 412th Test Wing, located at Edwards AFB, performs developmental testing of airframe, avionics, propulsion and electronic warfare systems of manned and unmanned aircraft for the Air Force, other U.S. military services and government agencies, and international partners. Current and recent systems tested by the wing include the B-2, F-22A, F-35, Airborne Laser, and Global Hawk. The wing's expertise in flying operations, maintenance and engineering ensures the successful test and evaluation of a fleet of more than 90 highly modified aircraft.
Sustainment
Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC)
Tinker AFB, Okla.
The mission of the Air Force Sustainment Center is to sustain weapon system readiness to generate airpower for America. The center provides war-winning expeditionary capabilities to the warfighter through world-class depot maintenance, supply chain management and installation support. Through its headquarters staff, three air logistics complexes, three air base wings and two supply chain wings, the AFSC provides critical sustainment for the Air Force's most sophisticated weapon systems, including: A-10 Thunderbolt II, AC-130, B-1 Lancer, B-52 Stratofortress, C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, E-3 Sentry, E-6 Mercury, E-8 Joint STARS, EC-130, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, F-22 Raptor, HC-130, HH-60 Pave Hawk, ICBM, KC-135 Stratotanker, MC-130, MH-53 Pave Low, RQ-4 Global Hawk, U-2 Dragon Lady, and UH-1 Iroquois aircraft, as well as a wide range of aircraft engines and component parts.
The Air Force Sustainment Center consists of more than 32,000 military and civilian personnel. AFSC provides installation support to more than 141 associate units with more than 75,000 personnel.
The three logistics complexes are experts in world-class, comprehensive sustainment of air and space systems -- from circuit cards to aircraft - and provide support to other Defense Department services and allied-nation aircraft.
Tinker AFB, Okla., is home to the AFSC headquarters, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, 72nd Air Base Wing, and 448th Supply Chain Management Wing.
Hill AFB, Utah, is home to the Ogden Air Logistics Complex and 75th Air Base Wing.
Robins AFB, Ga., is home to the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex and the 78th Air Base Wing. The 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing is located at Scott AFB, Ill.
Nuclear Support
Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC)
Kirtland AFB, N.M.
The center's mission is to ensure safe, secure and effective nuclear capability for the warfighter; providing on-time, on-target nuclear solutions. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center's location facilitates synergy with Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Air Force Inspection Agency, Air Force Safety Center, National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratory - highlighting its position as one of the nation's Nuclear Centers of Excellence.
AFNWC's strategic goals include sustaining nuclear surety across AFMC's Nuclear Enterprise; leading engagement and advocacy for the Nuclear Enterprise; delivering mission-ready weapons to the warfighter; fixing today's problems and looking at ways to mitigate future threats and problems; developing and caring for our Airmen; planning, assessing, developing and sustaining effective and efficient integrated life cycle management; ensuring resource stewardship; and, supporting nuclear enterprise accountability and readiness.
The center is responsible for the entire scope of nuclear weapons support functions for two-thirds of the Nuclear Triad and is composed of one wing and two wing-equivalent directorates.
The 377th Air Base Wing is Kirtland's host wing, with the primary mission of conducting nuclear operations, as well as providing support to 100-plus mission partners.
The Nuclear Capabilities Directorate, the service logistics agent for all Air Force nuclear weapons, also comprises the Missile Sustainment Division at Tinker AFB, Okla., and has additional engineering, logistics support, and maintenance functions split between Lackland AFB, Texas, and Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate maintains Technical Engineering Operations Locations at Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; Minot AFB, N.D., and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
Museum
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, is operated by the U.S. Air Force under the operational control of AFMC. This museum is the largest and oldest military aviation museum in the world. More than a million visitors annually experience a century of aviation history in multiple galleries that connect the Wright Brothers' enduring legacy with today's technology.
History
The command traces its heritage to 1917 when the Equipment Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps established a headquarters for its new Airplane Engineering Department at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, a World War I experimental engineering facility.
The functions of research and development and logistics were operated separately during World War II until they were reunited for several years in the late 1940s under Air Materiel Command. Then, in 1950, research and development were split off into a separate organization, the Air Research and Development Command.
In 1961, Air Materiel Command became the Air Force Logistics Command, while the Air Research and Development Command gained responsibility for weapon system acquisition and was renamed the Air Force Systems Command. On July 1, 1992, the Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command were reintegrated to form the new Air Force Materiel Command.
Point of Contact Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs Office; 4375 Chidlaw Road, Room N-152; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433-5006; DSN 787-6308 or 937-257-6308.
