BOMB BODY CASTING

Question. Last year the Appropriations Conference directed the Air Force to use $4 million for a P3I effort to fully qualify a cast version of the 2,000 pound hard target bomb body. What steps has the Air Force taken to comply with that direction?

Answer. The Air Force issued a Commerce Business Daily announcement in December 1986. Based on the eleven responses to this announcement, the Air Force determined a full and open competition was the best acquisition strategy for this full scale development qualification effort. The Request For Proposal will be released in May 1987 and contract award is planned for August 1987. Question. What is the technical status of this effort?

Answer. The Air Force tested two two-piece, welded, cast bombs (given at no cost by ABEX Company of Mahwah, NJ) in fiscal year 1986. The first bomb failed due to improper quenching during the manufacturing process; but the second bomb successfully penetrated the six-foot steel reinforced concrete target. As a result of these tests, the Air Force supports further developmental testing (environmental, sled and arena) of a cast bomb to prove it has the same performance as the forged bomb.

Question. Provide for the record a milestone schedule and funding profile.

Answer. The cast bomb milestones are:

Due to contract award(s) in Aug 1987, FY 1987 funds will support both FY 1987 and FY 1988 efforts.

[CLERK'S NOTE.-End of questions submitted for the record.

The fiscal year 1988-89 Air Force Acquisition Statement of General Randolph referred to on page 672, follows:]

The Air Force development and acquisition program request for Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 has been subjected to the most critical and thorough scrutiny ever. With your support we now have the most combat capable and logistically supportable Air Force in our history. Our two-year proposed budget continues to build on these accomplishments.

The Air Force program emphasizes modernization of our tactical and strategic forces, improvements in readiness and sustainability, expansion of airlift, and enhancement of our capabilities in space. We must maintain our momentum by continuing with these initiatives, as the defense risks we face are certainly not diminishing. Soviet military capability worldwide grows unabated and risks to regional stability abound, even in our own hemisphere. While the strategic and conventional challenge to our security remains strong, low intensity conflicts are increasing and have emerged as significant threats with which we must now contend.

When confronted with this challenge to our national security, some maintain that our defense efforts should be relaxed because the United States cannot afford the necessary levels of defense resources and still reduce the federal budget deficit. We firmly believe that the Air Force can better support the national commitment to a balanced budget by eliminating unnecessary defense costs through more effective and efficient management of our acquisition and support programs. To this end we are implementing the recommendations of the Packard Commission to improve our acquisition process. At the same time, we continue to rely on competitive procurement, increased reliability and maintainability, and joint service acquisition as effective tools in the struggle to make each dollar buy more and more defense.

The Air Force proudly submits its 1988-1989 program for your approval and requests your continued support. We look forward to discussing the Air Force program with you in the near future.

Вергие

BERNARD P. RANDOLPH, Lt Gen, USAF
Deputy Chief of Staff,

Research, Development and Acquisition

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MCMXLVII

Biography

United States Air Force

Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20330

LIEUTENANT GENERAL BERNARD P. RANDOLPH

Lieutenant General Bernard P. Randolph is deputy chief of staff for research, development and acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He is responsible to the U.S. Air Force chief of staff for all U.S. Air Force research, development and acquisition programs.

General Randolph was born in New Orleans. He received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans. General Randolph earned bachelor (magna cum laude) and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, through the Air Force Institute of Technology program in 1964 and 1965, respectively. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1959; Air Command and Staff College as a distinguished graduate, concurrently earning a master's degree in business administration from Auburn (Ala.) University in 1969; and was a distinguished graduate of the Air War College in 1974, all at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

His first assignment after completing aviation cadet training at Ellington Air Force Base, Texas, and Mather Air Force Base, Calif., was with the Strategic Air Command at Lincoln Air Force Base, Neb., from June 1956 to June 1962. He instructed and evaluated KC-97 and B-47 flight crews. While there he was a member of a select crew.

General Randolph attended the University of North Dakota until July 1965 and was then assigned to Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif., as chief, on-orbit operations, Space Systems Division. He was next assigned as assistant deputy program director for launch and orbital operations and was responsible for all payload operations.

From August 1968 to October 1969, General Randolph attended Air Command and Staff College and Auburn University. He was then assigned to the Republic of Vietnam, as an airlift operations officer at Chu Lai and airlift coordinator at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. He was responsible for the total operation of about 50 C-7 and C-123 airlift sorties daily from Chu Lai and later coordinated the operations of all airlift control elements throughout the Republic of Vietnam.

Upon his return to the United States in November 1970, General Randolph was assigned to Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., as chief of command plans in test evaluation, and then as the executive officer to the deputy chief of staff for operations. He attended the Air War College, from August 1973 to June 1974.

Following graduation General Randolph returned to Los Angeles Air Force Station as director, space systems planning for the Space and Missile Systems Organization. In April 1975 he became deputy program director and later program director for the Air Force Satellite Communications System. He assumed responsibility for space defense systems at Space Division headquarters, Los Angeles Air Force Station in March 1978. In this capacity he managed a program to design and develop the United States anti-satellite system with its supporting surveillance, command and control, and survivability aspects.

From July 1980 to September 1981, the general served as vice commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. He then became director of space systems and command, control and communications, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Research, Development and Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. General Randolph returned again to Los Angeles Air Force Station as vice commander and deputy commander for space systems acquisition for Space Division in May 1983. In June 1984 he became vice commander of Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base. He assumed his present duties in May 1985.

General Randolph's military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and Presidential Unit Citation Emblem.

He was promoted to lieutenant general June 28, 1984, with same date of rank.

General Randolph is married to the former Lucille Robinson of New Orleans. They have six children: Michelle, Julie, Michael, John, Liane and Mark.