Boeing

The replan of Boeing's [NYSE: BA] Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) program -- a joint effort between Boeing and the U.S. Air Force Space Command -- has earned the Air Force's Agile Acquisition Transformation Leadership Award.

The award, presented last month to the Space Command's FAB-T Alpha Contracting Team at the annual Acquisition Leaders Forum in Atlanta, Ga., recognizes the joint government-industry effort for completing a significant replan of the FAB-T program in a record 10 weeks last summer. The award also acknowledges skill in acquisition program management and leadership bringing about acquisition process transformation.

"I view this award as an overarching acceptance by the Air Force leadership that the FAB-T program has overcome major hurdles to become a program on track to successfully deliver warfighting capability," said Lt. Col. Chuck Cynamon, program manager, Airborne SATCOM Terminals, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.

In addition to delivering new capability to the warfighter, the new baseline ensures that strategic nuclear command and control connectivity remains uncompromised, Cynamon added. Approximately 300 of the program's 700-plus requirements were changed, along with detailed schedule re-phasing for development, test, delivery and installation. Last month, the program completed a successful Critical Design Review.

"This recognition means a lot to our team," said Jim Dodd, Boeing FAB-T program director. "As a result of the hard work we completed while working closely with our government customer last summer, we're on track to deliver this sophisticated technology to the warfighter as soon as possible."

The FAB-T team's success was based on collaboration with industry counterparts and on the application of agile acquisition practices, including open communication, empowerment of Integrated Product Teams and the use of metrics to monitor ongoing progress and marshal resources.

The FAB-T system includes software-defined radios, antennas and associated user interface hardware that will enable the government to host numerous waveforms that accommodate data rates in excess of 300 megabits per second. Once operational, FAB-T will provide critical, secure beyond line-of-sight communications capability for warfighters via various satellites that support military forces. Initial deliveries will begin in December 2008.

A key enabler of network-centric communications, FAB-T will provide strategic forces with a multi-mission-capable family of software-defined radios that use common open system architecture to link to different satellites and enable information exchange between ground, air and space platforms. FAB-T represents a key building block in Boeing's vision of the integrated battlespace of the future, where networked information and communications' systems provide a competitive edge to decision-makers and military personnel.