Researcher receives Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award

  • Published
  • By Mindy Cooper
  • Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Dr. Roland E. Dutton received the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service award in recognition of his distinguished performance as the chief of the Metals Branch of the Metals, Ceramics and Nondestructive Evaluation Division, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory. 

The Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award is the second highest honorary award provided to civilian employees by the Air Force. Dr. Dutton was presented the award Sept. 2 by Dr. David Walker, director of AFRL's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. 

"During the award period, Dr. Dutton brilliantly led a branch of over 60 government and contractor personnel to superbly execute a research and development program with an average annual budget exceeding $30 million," said Dr. Charles Ward, Metals, Ceramics and Nondestructive Evaluation Division Chief, "His leadership and vision propelled the Metals Branch to become the leading research and development organization for advanced metals and processes for aerospace applications in the nation. He led the Air Force's R&D efforts in metals to not only achieve command-wide impact in technology, acquisition, and system sustainment, but national impact to the aerospace industry. " 

Dr. Dutton led the revolutionary, joint Air Force-Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Accelerated Insertion of Materials (AIM) program to couple materials modeling and simulation with aerospace structural design tools. The multi-million dollar program's goal was to inspire paradigm shift in the way in which new aerospace metals are developed, transitioned, and sustained. To do this, Dr. Dutton led a multidisciplinary team consisting of AFRL, academia, and industrial researchers to create and link state-of-the-art materials models ranging from microscopic behavior to component design and performance. The unprecedented coupling of these models demonstrated the world's first integrated approach to linking the relevant variables controlling material performance in gas turbine engine components. The program successfully demonstrated a 50 percent decrease in component development and test cycle time, while also improving component performance by 20 percent. Dr. Dutton's vision and tireless devotion to the program has led to the AIM approach being adopted across the US aerospace industry as the standard for materials research and development, and has already delivered dramatically reduced development cycles for inserting new materials into aerospace systems. 

He has also excelled at building lasting materials R&D partnerships at the national level. He led and transformed a congressional interest program with the University of Missouri-Rolla to become a national-level materials R&D effort that directly supports the mission of the command. His guidance led to the creation of the Center for Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies (CAMT), an innovative center for R&D collaboration between academia, industry and government. Of the several significant manufacturing advancements to stem from the CAMT, perhaps most notable is an environmentally friendly aircraft paint primer that is free from chromates and is being transitioned for use on the F-15 and KC-135. Due to Dr. Dutton's vision, the CAMT now functions as a self-sustaining and responsive R&D organization meeting US aerospace industry needs. 

Dr. Dutton's leadership to the Metals Affordability Initiative (MAI) effort is another example of his impact. He has continuously supported and guided the ten-year old MAI program to grow to a model for government research and development. The collaborative-based approach he has nurtured means that all interested Air Force suppliers conduct pre-competitive, collaborative research on advanced metals and processes. This savvy approach leverages limited Air Force R&D funds by combining the best ideas from normally competing partners, and ensuring all partners have access to advances in materials development. This advances several Air Force contractors in their technology readiness at the same time, while preserving innovation and competition. The MAI effort has delivered numerous technology transitions to the F-22, F-35, F-15, C-17, and C-130J for a fifteen-to-one return on investment of Air Force funds, and was awarded the 2004 Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award in recognition of its successes. 

In addition to leading the top aerospace metals R&D effort in the nation, Dr. Dutton led his branch to solve numerous time-critical materials engineering issues of substantial importance to the Air Force. He led his team to quickly identify and resolve improperly manufactured titanium bulkheads in the F-22 structure, allowing the program to continue production. His team also made significant contributions to the F-22 by solving a production-halting, Laser Shock Processing-induced cracking issue on F119 fan blades, as well as a solution to a Minuteman III rocket component failure that won his team the 2007 Scowcroft Award for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Acquisition and Sustainment.