We reported last month (DR, 09/12/05) that Warner Robins ALC in Georgia had garnered the “nobel prize of manufacturing,” the Shingo Prize. WRALC took home the gold Shingo—a first for any government facility, says Air Force Materiel Command—but AFMC’s two other ALCs took Shingo silver prizes, as well. Ogden ALC in Utah received two silvers, one for its F-16 Common Configuration Implementation Program and the second for its Commodities Branch Pylon Shop. Oklahoma City ALC in Oklahoma received a silver for refurbishing its maintenance program of the KC-135 tanker fleet. “The great people of AFMC have been working long and hard to apply lean principles to ensure our warfighters have everything they need, on time and on cost,” said Gen. Bruce Carlson, AFMC commander.
A new think tank analysis finds a hypothetical blended-wing body tanker could offer twice as much refueling performance as the KC-46A Pegasus and recommends the Air Force buy scores of them, as the service prepares to evaluate a BWB demonstrator next year and must juggle its future tanker plans with…