Junior Workforce Challenge Project pits two competing teams to develop a viable vehicle stopper rapid prototype

  • Published
  • By Michael P. Kleiman and Karen Y. Jackson
  • AFRL Public Affairs
During the Global War on Terrorism, in-theater, ground transportation checkpoints have turned deadly due to uncooperative drivers and/or passengers, but two six-person teams have accepted Air Force Research Laboratory Commander Maj. Gen. Ted F. Bowlds' call to resolve this chronic, dangerous problem by innovative, non-lethal methods.

Violence at deployed military checkpoint has become a serious issue, with U.S. and Coalition forces making tough decisions when vehicles ignore warnings to stop. Insurgents often attack these guarded locations, occasionally with car bombs.

"The competition, called the Junior Workforce Challenge, was created to help find innovative solutions for urgent warfighter needs and designed to give junior officers more experience in developing those solutions," General Bowlds said.

In April, he issued a call to the junior military and civilian workforce within his organization's 10 directorates, seeking individuals with fresh and imaginative ideas to participate in a six-month, competitive project intent on tackling an urgent warfighter need. A few weeks later, AFRL selected two engineering teams, comprised of six scientists and engineers with five years or less experience.

"Each team has a different philosophy on how they approach the problem. My job is to make sure that they come up with different answers and different solution sets and to bring the warfighter into the process," said the competition's program manager, Col. Kirk Kloeppel, who also serves as deputy director from AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

Team one, based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, consists of members from the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC), as well AFRL's Human Effectiveness, Air Vehicles and Sensors Directorates. The second group, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is comprised of personnel for AFRL's Space Vehicles, Directed Energy, Munitions and Sensors Directorates.

"Our team started on June 4, and although, we had never met one another before, it has been a great working relationship coming up with a bunch of ideas and then exploring the benefits and drawbacks in this highly collaborative environment," said Capt. Chris Rehm, team lead, Kirtland Air Force Base team, who is assigned as an electrical engineer at AFRL's Sensors Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. "In the past 10 weeks, our group has made lots of decisions, compiled a lot of information, and completed some testing of concepts."

The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base team is mapping its own course for solutions. "It took a little time for our team to get to know each other, but they came together and are very serious about getting real solutions to the warfighters to really make a difference. Since June, they have conducted a lot of research and interviews to help them develop some conceptual designs," said Lt. Col. Ross McNutt, team advisor.

To enhance the organization's focus on its primary customers and products, AFRL initiated three core processes last year comprised of accomplishing long term, ground-breaking research that shapes the Air Force's future; delivering timely, cost-effective technologies, which improve the capabilities of weapon systems currently in acquisition; and providing fast, cutting-edge solutions to meet pressing combat requirements. To support this third core function, a Rapid Reaction Team was formed to quickly (within a few months) to address and resolve current difficulties hindering the warfighter. One of the group's initial undertakings was organizing the Junior Workforce Challenge Project, which selected the Space Countermeasures Hands On Program (Space CHOP), Kirtland Air Force Base, and a group patterned after Air Force Institute of Technology's OpTech, the certification program that educates Air Force scientists and engineers in the process of rapid defense product development located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, to manage their respective installation squads.

Due to its experience for the past six years in employing junior military and civilian personnel in teams using open source data to expose the vulnerabilities of current and future systems operating in the cosmos, Space CHOP served as a fitting choice to advise and mentor the Kirtland Air Force Base six-member squad. In addition, the program enables participants to receive practical training on threat hardware, as well as perform a mission analysis and such activities represent an unprecedented, invaluable early career broadening opportunity that will impact the individual throughout their Air Force careers.

"I know the importance of these hands-on experiences. These experiences provide a real experience and education," Colonel McNutt said. "After this experience, the participants have confidence, knowledge, and better preparation in the rapid product development process. They also learn how to become future leaders. That's our ultimate goal - to develop future leaders who have the confidence, knowledge, and experience to help us solve our most urgent problems."

"The common thread between all our missions is the employment of junior officers and civilians who do not have experience in the mission area we assign them," said John Holbrook, aerospace engineer and chief, space countermeasures, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate. "Our teams bring a fresh look at a problem, and that new look helps the professionals better focus their efforts towards a solution."

AFRL has provided $60,000 to each team for design and development of a vehicle stopper rapid prototype. In addition, the organization has partnered with Raytheon to conduct the concept demonstrations. So far, for both groups seeking to find the most viable, non-lethal method to halt uncooperative motorists, the project's initial 10 weeks has been a time for the two groups to bond, brainstorm, and build.

"Overall, it has been a great experience, but we have good days and some bad days, especially when the problem seems daunting. On other days, we have optimism," said Captain Rehm. "It also has been a learning experience for all, as we are exposed to all parts of an Air Force organization such as purchasing required items, managing a budget, as well as constructing and evaluating operational systems, which will ultimately benefit the warfighter."

The need for such programs and missions like the Junior Workforce Challenge has increased since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. AFRL also has other teams working toward urgent solutions for deployed troops including identifying friendly forces on the ground and finding a fix to a condition called brownout, which occurs when a helicopter lands in the desert, creating a cloud of dirt engulfing the aircraft.

"Our junior workforce's energy and enthusiasm can contribute greatly to accomplish "rapid prototype" solutions that will provide immediate warfighter support. Working on these special projects is an invaluable opportunity for professional development that improves our ability to support our mission," General Bowlds said.