ALBUQUERQUE — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tom Udall met with Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, commander, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center to discuss Kirtland Air Force Base’s critical national security mission, cutting-edge technology, and future plans for harnessing the base’s research and development capabilities to maintain the United States’ technological advantage. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, which oversees funding for New Mexico’s defense programs, Udall has secured strong funding for missions at Kirtland and the jobs and economic growth the base supports.
Pawlikowski commands AFMC’s mission of conducting research, development, test and evaluation, and providing acquisition management services and logistics support to keep Air Force weapon systems ready. During their meeting, Udall touted the essential national security mission being carried out at Kirtland’s Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, as well as the leading technological developments, such as directed energy technology and small satellites, being advanced at Kirtland to provide more tools for the armed forces. Udall cited the unmatched experience and expertise at Kirtland and the Air Force Research Lab, again making the case for why New Mexico – with its premier military bases, and national laboratories, and supporting businesses — is an ideal location for a Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) office that can help promote technology transfer and build the private sector economy in New Mexico and the Southwest.
Udall and Pawlikowski also discussed the W80-4 life extension program as well as the damage that a threatened government shutdown and return to sequestration, or automatic spending cuts, could do to morale and recruitment -- especially for service members and lab employees with in-demand technical skills -- and the missions at New Mexico's bases.
“Every day at Kirtland, service members and civilians are expertly carrying out an essential national security mission — doing the cutting-edge work that helps keep our nation safe and grows New Mexico’s economy. General Pawlikowski agrees that steady governance and consistent funding levels are vital to our national security. We can't afford a shutdown, and a return to sequestration would be dangerous for New Mexico's labs and military bases and their surrounding communities,” Udall said. “As a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I’m proud to fight for the strong funding Kirtland needs to support these critical investments in our national security and in New Mexico jobs and economic growth. I was glad to talk to General Pawlikowski today about how the first-rate technology being developed in New Mexico directly benefits war fighters and civilians, spurring progress, bolstering national security, and benefiting our economy.”
Elizabeth Driggers, executive director of the Kirtland Partnership Committee, who attended the meeting, said, “The Kirtland Partnership Committee and its members, who include some of the most innovative tech companies in New Mexico, are thrilled with General Pawlikowski’s visit and her commitment to breaking down tech barriers and speeding up software issues, which are critically important to progressing our Air Force at a more commercial speed. We appreciated Senator Udall again demonstrating he’s committed to fighting sequestration, which we have seen has had devastating short-term and long-term impacts to our bases.”
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Udall has for years secured strong funding for Kirtland and New Mexico’s other military bases and installations. For example, 2017 funding for programs at Kirtland includes:
- Air Force Technology Transfer — The bill includes $8.368 million for defense-related technology transfer and continues Udall's work to increase technology transfer from defense labs, including the Air Force Research Laboratory, which has a location at Kirtland Air Force Base.
- Operationally Responsive Space — The bill includes $18.421 million to support the ORS mission at KAFB AFRL. This is a significant increase and important for continued work on micro satellites.
- Space Test Program — The bill includes $42.070 million to support research and development activities related to space at KAFB AFRL. STP is responsible for all Defense Department space test missions and is charged with lowering developmental risk for space programs. ORS and STP have been working together to increase the fielding of smaller modular micro satellites and lower technological risk on future space missions.
- Compact Laser Weapon System — Includes $16.7 million to rapidly build and deploy five high-energy-laser weapon systems to protect forward-operating-bases from explosive drones, harnessing New Mexico’s expertise in directed energy in the fight against ISIS. The funding marks the first-ever urgent production and deployment of a directed energy weapon system to the battlefield.
- Active Primary Mirrors for Directed Energy Weapon Systems — The bill includes $42.3 million to support the Directed Energy High Energy Laser Research program at KAFB AFRL. This funding will support investments in programs, such as the high-power deformable mirrors used for increasing the efficiency and reach of directed energy weapons.
- Advanced Spacecraft Technology — The bill includes over $71 million for continued work on multiple AFRL programs including ground based surveillance of spacecraft and laser communications with space assets.
- Test and Evaluation Support — The bill includes over $676 million to support the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland Air Force Base.
- CHAMP — Includes over $49 million to help the Air Force create an additional operational prototype of the Kirtland-produced Counter-Electronics High Powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP).
