The Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC) at Hill Air Force Base and Hamilton Sundstrand officials signed a public-private cooperative partnering agreement enabling Hill’s technicians to provide repair capabilities for the Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster III. 

It is anticipated that the partnership will provide the 309th Maintenance Wing with technical documentation, training and tools for various C-17 items to repair.

The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area.

The aircraft is also capable of performing tactical airlift and airdrop missions when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

Ogden ALC currently has 21 partnership agreements in place with various private organizations and this is the first agreement between the Center and Hamilton Sundstrand, headquartered in Windsor Locks, Conn. and a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

Officials from both organizations said the partnership leverages the strengths and increases core competencies and optimize national defense infrastructure.

“Today’s warfighters will gain the most benefits from this partnership,” said Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Sullivan, commander, Ogden ALC, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Air Force. 

“As a result of having this technology at our Center, warfighters will gain improved responsiveness, technology infusion, increased reliability, and improved logistical support for the C-17 fleet.”

The general also said Ogden ALC will benefit from this partnership by gaining access to commercial expertise, management methods and improved technical support and training from Hamilton Sundstrand.  This effort will preserve the Center’s labor base and ultimately spread overhead costs against a broader base of workload hours. This will lower OO-ALC’s overall production costs. 

Hamilton Sundstrand will gain economical manufacturing repair capabilities from the OO-ALC skilled workforce and access to the federal government facilities already covered by hazardous material licenses saving the contractor significant costs.
 
“I believe this is an important step forward for both the Air Force and Hamilton Sundstrand,” said Bill Silvestri, Hamilton Sundstrand’s general manager for military customer support and logistics. 

“We are moving into a new era, where we are no longer just a supplier, but a true partner working with the Air Force to improve support and readiness for our warfighter.”

By collaborating with Hamilton Sundstrand, the OO-ALC can move from a single transaction based-business to a more permanent and enduring relationship, according to General Sullivan.

“By aggressively seeking public/private partnerships, we can create untold opportunities for the government to sell articles and or services, or to lease facilities and equipment to private industry working on DoD accounts,” the general said.

FMI: www.HILL.af.mil