Former Director of Requirements and Director of Command Transformation, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Joins Technology Solutions Provider to Support Program Development — Press Release

November 19, 2009 by Matthew Potter · Comment
Filed under: Alion, Business Line, Companies, Press Releases 

alion new hire

Former Director of Requirements and Director of Command Transformation, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Joins Technology Solutions Provider to Support Program Development

Alion Science and Technology, an employee-owned technology solutions company, announced the hiring of Maj. Gen. Michael C. Mushala (USAF, Ret.) to support the development of Air Force programs from the company’s office in Dayton, Ohio. Mushala’s experience is significant; his last post was as Director of Requirements and Director of Command Transformation, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.  He previously managed the System Program Office for the F-22 fighter.

Mushala brings dual strengths to his new role at Alion, Director for Air Force Program Development, according to Chris Amos, Alion Senior Vice President and Manager of the Technology Solutions Group. “Mike’s Ph.D. in materials engineering and his extensive experience with the Air Force acquisition community make him an excellent fit for our work in Dayton and other Air Force centers,” Amos explained. “He has a rare combination of a high level of proficiency in engineering with a thorough understanding of Air Force acquisition policy and procedure, which makes him ideal for this position.”

Mushala retired in October 2003, having served 30 years in the Air Force. His assignments include Chief of the Plans Division at Headquarters AFSC; Director, AF and NASA Advanced Launch System Joint Program; Director, Cheyenne Mountain Complex System Program Office; Director of the F-22 SPO; and AF Program Executive Officer for Fighter and Bomber Programs.  Most recently, Mushala was a principal at Booz-Allen Hamilton in Dayton.

Mushala earned his commission as a distinguished Air Force ROTC graduate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and entered active duty after completing his master of science and Ph.D. degrees in materials engineering.

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TSAT Contract Latest To Be Ended

June 9, 2009 by Matthew Potter · Comment
Filed under: Booz Allen Hamilton, Business Line, Companies, Congress, Department of Defense, Events, Federal Budget Process, Lockheed Martin, S&T, Satellites, Services, U.S. Air Force, development program, space 

Secretary of Defense Gates announced that in the FY10 budget plenty of different programs would be ended. Unlike previous administrations who decide to de-fund a contract in next year’s budget but let the current year play out Gates has aggressively ended the contracts. The latest one announced was the U.S. Air Force’s Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT).

When the budget plans were announced in April the plan was to end this system and begin development of two new separate systems for the same mission. The TSAT like most military satellite and space programs had suffered delays and cost problems. They were not insurmountable but as time goes by the Pentagon often looks at different or new requirements that the older planned systems may not meet.

So following in the footsteps of the VH-71, Future Combat Systems (FCS) and the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) programs the TSAT contracts were terminated for convenience today. There were two separate contracts — one with Lockheed Martin for mission operations systems and one with Booz Allen Hamilton for systems engineering.

One idea of doing this so fast is to prevent Congress from keeping the program alive through continuing funding despite the Pentagon’s request. Without an active contract it will be hard to do this in the next year. More to come on all of these various moves as the budget makes its progress.

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