Commander aims to take AWACS to new heights

  • Published
  • By Monica D. Morales
  • 66 ABW Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  For Col. Eric Gunzelman, the new commander at the 551st Electronic Systems Group, melding the key elements of his leadership style - mission and people - is akin to embarking on a treasure hunt.

"There are all kinds of jewels out there, and we just have to figure out who's carrying that skill set and those capabilities to take the mission that much farther," he said.

In his position as the 551 ELSG commander, Colonel Gunzelman is responsible for all aspects of modernization and sustainment of the United States Airborne Warning and Control System and international Airborne Early Warning and control fleets.
 
"This is my first tour at Hanscom, and to be named commander for the AWACS group was a pleasant surprise," the colonel said. "It is ESC's longest running aircraft program, one of its most successful acquisitions, and one that is readily identifiable with the general public. It's an honor to be a part of that." 

It's that focus on mission and people that Colonel Gunzelman said might sound like another leadership cliché, but it is truly a foundational principle to success. One without the other, he said, doesn't often lead to progress. 

"Many long-term ESC veterans congratulated me when I first got selected to command AWACS, and noted that I would be inheriting a great set of folks, highly skilled and motivated. They were right and I am truly blessed," he said. "I need to carry on that energy and skill to even greater heights, and I think that energy and service-based leadership is a key ingredient in caring for people. And caring for people, naturally lends itself to execution of the mission." 

In turn, the results stemming from mission execution yield even wider reaching effects.
"I want to ensure that our work provides the warfighter with even greater capability because that's a testament that everyone is doing their job and doing it well," the colonel said. 

For now, the colonel said his goals are focused on carrying out the acquisition work already underway to bring this legacy platform into the modern age with improved "front-end" -- Communications, Navigation and Air Traffic Management -- and "back-end " -- Battle Management and Command and Control -- upgrades . Part of that goal is to simply avoid obsolescence due to Diminishing Manufacturing Sources. 

Beyond that, the group is planning for the future by studying opportunities to improve aircraft availability, especially, the colonel said, since it is known as a low-density, high-demand aircraft - few in numbers but always in demand. 

"We need to be smart and modernize AWACS sensors and electronics always with the forethought to improve its reliability, maintainability and availability in the process," he said.

The colonel also looks to carry the group through to its next phase, which includes collaboration on new initiatives like Airborne Networking and Airborne Web Services.
Prior to taking command of the group, Colonel Gunzelman worked within the 350th Electronic Systems Wing as the Air Force Component Program Manager for Network-Enabled Command Capability -- the Defense Department's future capability for conducting joint command and control. 

That, combined with his previous assignments in the Pentagon and as the U.S. advisor on Air C2 Systems at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, are what Colonel Gunzelman believes best prepared him for the duties he meets head-on as the 551 ELSG commander. 

"My NATO experience really set the stage for building relationships with our NATO and international partners. For instance, this means working with NATO partners and new international players, like Korea, to ensure the worldwide fleet of 48 aircraft remain interoperable," he said. 

In addition to that, he said that 20-plus years of acquisition experience, four years of operational experience, and time spent working with Congress and as a legislative liaison have collectively brought him to his post at Hanscom.

Though Colonel Gunzelman said that there are undoubtedly challenges that lie ahead, thus far he's been able to liken his work to that of a fortunate doctor holding to the Hippocratic Oath. 

"My initial aim is to do no harm and ensure this patient [AWACS] remains healthy. Then push to improve and modernize AWACS, make it more available, all without doing unintended harm," he said.