With two major acquisition projects moving forward–the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) and the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR)–the Marine Corps’ Program Executive Office for Land Systems believes an increased focus on ensuring relevant requirements is helping to keep these programs on track, officials said.
CAC2S Phase 1 Engineer Mark Lamczyk said last week that the Phase 1 of CAC2S fielding and implementation wrapped up this month and that Phase 2 is in the midst of tactical reviews with prime contractor General Dynamics C4 Systems [GD] in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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| The Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar is one of two projects the Marine Air Command and Control Squadron – Experimental, Operational Test Detachment is currently involved with. Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman. |
G/ATOR went through extensive testing earlier this year in preparation for a Milestone C decision to move into the production phase, a decision that should be reached this December, PEO LS spokesman David Branham said.
Part of the programs’ success, Lamczyk said, is the Marine Air Command and Control Squadron–Experimental, Operational Test Detachment, a group of about 30 Marines that work with PEO LS on its acquisition projects.
“They are embedded as part of our acquisition process, looking at our requirements, looking at how we’re developing systems, and how we go through testing,” he said. “Their feedback and involvement has been instrumental, and I think that has allowed us to focus on what is really needed and gain efficiencies and cost savings.”
Lamczyk said the detachment is involved with both CAC2S Phase 2 and G/ATOR right now, providing a warfigher’s perspective on what requirements are most needed for troops in the field and what amount to bells and whistles that drive cost up needlessly. Their participation in everything from meetings to technical reviews to test and evaluation events helps “to make sure we have the operational perspective and really to hone in on what’s important to them.”
In June 2012, CAC2S won the Navy’s 2012 Major Acquisition Activity Award in recognition of “creative and effective practices that lead to lower costs and better technical performance” after having saved about $84 million between both phases. Lamczyk said he believed the MACCS-X detachment was a big part of that savings.
The detachment was created in 2005 by the deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for aviation as a temporary unit with only a three-year charter, CAC2S Phase 1 Product Director Maj. George Seegel said. The group’s charter has since been extended after they proved to be a helpful middle ground for the Marine Corps–with most active units tied up with combat rotations, “this squadron ensures that systems that are produced by Marine Corps Systems Command are tested and evaluated by experienced Marines prior to actual fielding to the fleet,” Seegel added.