Improvements move mission planning forward Published July 24, 2013 By Patty Welsh 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- A team here is ensuring warfighters have the mission planning capabilities they need with recent upgrades and improvements. Joint Mission Planning Systems, or JMPS, developed for the MPS Increment IV program are ready for full deployment after operational testing confirmed that the program is "effective, suitable and mission capable." "We are providing the next generation of mission planning," said Col. Thomas Killeen, system program manager. Warfighters use mission planning systems for combat and training missions, weapons delivery and airdrops. The systems allow the user to bring in data such as maps, photos, weather and platform performance parameters. JMPS has allowed for reduction in flight planning time. "We were able to reduce the flight planning time from many, many hours - the better part of a day - to just a few hours," said Barry Hoberman, mission planning acquisition specialist. And the new version offers additional capabilities. "This increment is improving weapon planning capability for fighters and bombers, and also replacing the legacy system on E-3 and E-8 aircraft that was becoming non-supportable," said Killeen. As a Windows-based system, it also is able to be deployed on a standard desktop configuration, is more flexible and agile for software upgrades and provides more information security. In addition, as the system becomes common among aircraft platforms, it will lower development and sustainment costs. The B-1, F-15, F-16 and A-10 platforms, along with the E-3 and E-8, have all received JMPS releases under MPS IV. In fact, the E-8 was used as the Air Force operational representative platform. Capt. Ryan Cuthbertson, E-8 mission planning program manager, explained some efforts that helped move the increment forward. "Due to budget restrictions, we weren't able to do all the standard software development practices, but the program office figured we'd take something rather than losing everything," he said. "When the (Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center) found some defects during OT, we were able to pause the test and work with the contractor to make the fixes in short order, allowing for the good rating." The E-8 MPS recently received its fielding certification from Air Combat Command and is headed out to the field. "This is the first time the JMPS will be in the E-8 users' hands," said Cuthbertson. And a new version that provides an additional user enhancement, take-off and landing calculations, is already in the works. The entire MPS program was restructured in 2010 due to technical and budget challenges. Changes were implemented to improve processes. "Using an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract allowed us to have pre-qualified vendors and helps reduce costs," said Brian Smith, program manager supporting Increment IV. The program office is also ensuring that the overall program life cycle, including cost and schedule, is being looked at by implementing program integration throughout. "We worked closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Air Staff to restructure the program to ensure this critical capability could be delivered," said Killeen. "And when we got the test results, we knew the recovery plan was effective." He said it was a team effort, from OSD and Air Staff, to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Combat Command, the 46th Test Squadron and AFOTEC. "To get to these milestones, we needed a lot of help," Killeen said. "The teamwork was phenomenal." And the program office is ready to provide support in the future. "As long as the Air Force continues to upgrade aircraft, we'll continue to provide mission planning," Killeen said.