Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation, accompanied Maj. Gen. Stephen Sargeant, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center boss, on a test sortie of one of the Air Force’s newly upgraded C-5M transport aircraft Dec. 7 at Dover AFB, Del. Sargeant had invited Gilmore to come along to see first-hand how AFOTEC is conducting operational test and evaluation of the new C-5M variant that features new avionics and engines. “It was a terrific trip and a chance to see a great group of professionals,” said Gilmore, who had the chance to talk directly with C-5M aircrew and maintainers to get their candid feedback regarding the aircraft’s new capabilities. As part of the ongoing evaluations, Air Force testers recently completed a month’s worth of surge operations flying the C-5M from Dover to Incirlik AB, Turkey. (Kirtland report by Katherine C. Gandara)
The Air Force became the latest service to roll out a new operating concept for the future when Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin unveiled the service's Force Design last fall. But the Air Force is hardly the only service with a Force Design, and a pressing question for the…