Identify by name a representative of the program customer, and include phone and email information. Customers will be asked for go/no go decision regarding consideration of this program for the Aviation Week Program Excellence Award. Phase 1 is due April 1, 2014 to chedden1@cox.net / carole.hedden@aviationweek.com You must use the tabular format provided to submit your nomination form. You should use 12 pt. Times Roman font to fill in the tables. Submit your document as a PDF file. Upon completion of Phase 1, narratives will be reviewed for fit for excellence and qualified nominees will then be provided with the Phase 2 submission form by no later than April 21. The Phase 2 forms will be due June 30, 2014. Finalists and best practices will be identified by no later than September 7. Submission and Questions Questions and submissions should be directed to Carole Rickard Hedden Project Leader, Aviation Week Program Excellence Initiative chedden1@cox.net / carole.hedden@aviationweek.com 505.239.9520 Phase I Submission Name of Program: AH-64E Achieves Initial Operational Capability Name of Program Leader: David M. Koopersmith, Vice President, Boeing Attack Helicopter Programs Phone Number: 480.891.9007 Email: david.m.koopersmith@beoing.com Postage Address: Programs 5000 East McDowell Road, MC: M510-A380 Mesa, Arizona 85215 Name of Customer Representative: Colonel Jeffrey Hager, U.S. Army Apache Project Manager Phone Number: 256.313.4200 Email: Jeff.hager.mil@mail.mil Bio for program leader: 2014 AVIATION WEEK PROGRAM EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE 3
David Koopersmith is (December 2010-March 2014) vice president of Attack Helicopter Programs the AH-64 Apache and AH-6i Light Attack/Reconnaissance and senior Mesa site executive for The Boeing Company in Mesa, Ariz. The programs are part of Boeing s Vertical Lift organization within the Boeing Military Aircraft (BMA) business. Prior to this position, Koopersmith was vice president of Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft (Adv BMA), and was responsible for leading the Adv BMA business element of the Phantom Works business unit within Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS). Previously, Koopersmith was vice president and program manager of the Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (JUCAS program) for BDS, where he led Boeing s JUCAS team, managing all aspects of the X-45A and X-45C programs for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy customers as well as X-45N variants for the U.S. Navy. Koopersmith has more than 35 years at The Boeing Company in program management, engineering, business development and production experience on numerous military aircraft programs including the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), the AV-8B Harrier II, proprietary efforts, and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. During his F/A-18E/F assignment, he received the Excellence in Acquisition Award by the United States Navy Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft (TACAIR). Koopersmith holds a bachelor s degree in aeronautical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He participated in the Boeing Executive Development Program, is the Boeing Executive Focal for the company s relationship with Arizona State University and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arizona Science Center. He is a member of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), American Helicopter Society (AHS), Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA). What sets this individual apart as a leader: As the Boeing leader responsible for the hundreds of people charged with designing, building, delivering and supporting helicopters for the U.S. Army s Apache program, David Koopersmith has demonstrated that he understands the challenges and complexities of the work that must be accomplished for the team to claim success. Accountable to company leaders and shareholders, Koopersmith has learned the value of staying closely connected to the U.S. Army leadership as well as to the Soldiers charged with flying and maintaining the aircraft. Keeping in regular contact with Army Apache Project leaders through regular face-to-face meetings and, frequent telephone calls and email exchanges, Koopersmith knows the importance of keeping resources aligned to achieve scheduled objectives. He has maintained customer intimacy a throughkeeping a battle rhythm of regular meetings including quarterly Project Progress Reviews and After Action Reviews with Apache battalions returning from combat deployments. From the vantage point of an industry leader outside the Army chain of command he understands his customer and works cooperatively to facilitate meeting op tempo demands of a- new aviation platform meeting wartime and peacekeeping commitments. 2014 AVIATION WEEK PROGRAM EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE 4
Phase I Program Narrative - 1 By setting a solid baseline for execution that included a robust approach for opportunity management in order to create additional performance and schedule margin, Koopersmith successfully led the team through the rigor of qualifying, producing and fielding a new system. Being flexible and adjusting to changing situations, he has shown the ability to anticipate the needs of the customer. Under his leadership Boeing program representatives proactively engage with the customer and lean forward offering necessary resources in anticipation of future needs. Koopersmith clearly communicates program objectives and inspires the Boeing and industry support team members to meet the challenge of resolving any issue or challenge encountered. He continues to develop his ability to be engaged in the intimate details of the issues and then give broad guidance to the professionals charged with performs the tasks required to get the job done. Knowing that people make the difference, Koopersmith is invested in identifying and training a new generation of leaders as he supports education and mentoring opportunities for teammates willing to reach to engage on the issues and challenges that are part of aviation and aerospace. Proud of the accomplishments of each contributor and the achievements of the collective team, Koopersmith shares the satisfaction of the success and gives credit to the partners that invested time, talent and energy to satisfy the needs of the customer. (insert text here explain why your program qualifies for Excellence) Industry Supports the Army s Achievement of the IOC Milestone with the AH-64E The partnership between teammates for The Boeing Company in Mesa, Ariz., and soldiers and staff supporting the U.S. Army s Apache project Office continues to tangibly demonstrate successful performance and achieve excellence for the benefit of U.S. Army Soldiers who fly and maintain the newest Apache the AH-64E. The Boeing Attack Helicopter Team demonstrated an unprecedented level of flexibility, and effective program execution, to assure that the Army Apache Project Office met a difficult and challenging Initial Operational Capability (IOC) milestone for the newly developed/fielded AH-64E Apache attack helicopter. Fulfilling the US Army s objective to achieve sustainment of the Apache as the premier attack helicopter and weapon of choice for the Soldier, the AH-64E Apache is delivering on-time and on-cost the required operational capabilities to battlefield commanders and the user community. Carefully conceived and efficiently executed, this new Apache brings evolutionary development and revolutionary technologies as per the established key performance parameters (net ready, performance, reliability, survivability, force protection) laid out by the Department of Defense and Army Aviation leadership and agreed to by The Boeing Company program leadership. 2014 AVIATION WEEK PROGRAM EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE 5
Phase I Program Narrative - 2 After a highly successful development program achieving scheduled milestones on time and on cost (Milestone B June 2006; First Flight July 2008; Limited User Test November 2009; Milestone C September 2010; Low Rate Initial Production Contract award October 2010), the program delivered the first production AH-64E Apache in October 2011, Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE) in April 2012, and contract award for Full Rate Production (Lot 3&$ UCA) in March 2014 the AH-64E was on track for the deliveries, training and logistics for the First Unit Equipped (FUE) a milestone achieved in May 2013. Attaining IOC was on schedule set by the Army a number of years prior to the objective date of November 2013 and became even more critical with the designated unit on the way to an accelerated deployment to Afghanistan. During 2013 the Boeing/U.S. government team met all challenges en route to IOC in November 2013. Aircraft and support equipment deliveries were transitioned to JBLM, and production and on-time deliveries to U.S. and allied customers continued. Appropriate training and aircraft familiarization activities had to be accomplished before deliveries could be achieved. Unit personnel had to be fully trained to fly, operate and maintain the E-Model Apache. Throughout 2013, the NETT was tasked with training the unit and doing it on a significantly accelerated schedule. Boeing training support personnel provided vital assistance to the NETT for updated class content, materials and classroom support. Additionally, the customary weather considerations in the Seattle Washington area necessitated moving NETT operations to Mesa for several classes in early 2013. Boeing provided classroom areas and on site logistical support on a very short notice basis. The Boeing Mesa Aircraft Delivery Center was tasked with maintaining unit aircraft for pilot training operations, while still continuing normal production, test and delivery obligations for the U.S. government and international customers. Aircraft operations necessitated up to three sorties per day per aircraft, five days a week, a robust pace by aviation maintenance standards. Every mission, in every class was successfully executed as planned. Training at the Boeing in Mesa facility was completed on schedule and successfully transitioned back to JBLM. The push to achieve IOC was accompanied by a significantly expanded deployment spares package to support anticipated combat operations in Afghanistan. Over 230 lines of spare parts, in five tranches, were required for accelerated delivery starting in early 2014. A significant majority of lines of spare parts were well inside normal procurement lead times. Boeing procurement specialists worked with a myriad of Apache suppliers worldwide, pulling in almost 98 percent of the deliveries to meet scheduled deliveries. The same was true for expanded procurements of support equipment, shop bench stock and consumables. 2014 AVIATION WEEK PROGRAM EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE 6
Phase I Program Narrative - 3 As part of deployment preparations, the Army PMO/Boeing team was required to implement a number of critical aircraft upgrades, modifications and retrofits, again, all on an accelerated schedule. The team coordinated the guidance and requirements of multiple stakeholders and worked for many months, on site at JBLM and in Mesa, to prepare unit aircraft for combat deployment. Despite a myriad of installation challenges, design efforts and supplier needs, all efforts were completed on time and the unit made ready for scheduled deployment. As result of the coordinated efforts of the Boeing Apache Program Team working in support of our U.S. Army customer s timeline and objectives significant milestones were achieved: the 1-229th was issued their first AH-64E Apache in January 2013; fielding and individual training was complete in May 2013; three rotations at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin were completed; and the 1-229th with their new AH-64Es participated in Operation Rising Thunder exercise working with Japanese AH-64Ds all leading to attaining IOC in November 2013 In a ceremony at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord home of the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, the Tigersharks, attended by leaders from the U.S. Army Apache Project Manager s Office and The Boeing Company, the U.S. Army product manager for Longbow Apache, Lt. Col. Talmadge 'Tal' Sheppard declared, "This is a truly monumental achievement. The Tigersharks have displayed amazing flexibility and organization. Understanding all that must be accomplished prior to overseas deployment in early 2014, this unit's soldiers have been extremely busy, and successful." And at the ceremony, Boeing Vice President of Attack Helicopter Programs, David Koopersmith commended the soldiers of the battalion saying, "Boeing teammates are proud of our long-standing record of support of soldiers in designing, producing and delivering Apache helicopters. It's inspiring to see the carefully crafted technologies being effectively employed by well-trained aviators and maintainers." U.S. Army and Boeing leaders worked together to ensure that obstacles were surmounted, challenges were met and objectives were achieved so that the Soldiers responsible for the Army s newest attack helicopter asset the AH-64E Apache were ready and equipped to take position as defenders of freedom. Today AH-64Es are in Afghanistan to fulfill their missions and bring Soldiers home again. 2014 AVIATION WEEK PROGRAM EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE 7