Warner Robins Air Logistic Center on the grounds of Robins AFB, Ga., on July 31 became the first of the Air Force’s three depots to stand up a communications directorate. The new 78th Communications Directorate combines the functions of the depot’s former information technology directorate and the base’s now-inactivated 78th Communications Squadron to reduce the complexity of the previous split arrangement and yield a more efficient organization. “The communications squadron accomplishing the operational mission and the IT accomplishing the guidance and policy mission, caused a lot of problems throughout the command,” said Bernie Lannan, who heads the new 700-person directorate, which will handle computer and telephone issues at Robins, including technology security. The Ogden ALC at Hill AFB, Utah, and the Oklahoma City ALC at Tinker AFB, Okla., will stand up their communications directorates on Oct. 1. (Aug. 17 Robins report by Wayne Crenshaw)
The Space Force awarded three contracts for rocket launches worth up to a combined $13.68 billion on April 4—and the usual players SpaceX and United Launch Alliance have got some competition in the form of newcomer Blue Origin.