Hurlburt Field Military Planning and Programming

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Background

The U.S. Air Force needed a comprehensive, long-term plan for accommodating new and additional aircraft and making improvements at the Hurlburt Field military installation in Okaloosa County, FL. Over the course of a decade, legacy aircraft such as the AC-130U Spooky and MC-130H Combat Talon II are being gradually replaced by the AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II. The existing maintenance hangars and units are not capable of supporting these newer aircraft.

Challenge

The introduction of the Ghostriders, the first forward-firing munitions aircraft to be kept at Hurlburt Field, surfaced safety concerns and updated parking configurations. The aircraft maintenance hangars required renovation, and maintenance units needed to be relocated for operational efficiency. Overall, the area development plan needed to account for future development projects on the installation while meeting evolving mission needs and ensuring all airframes are accommodated.

Solution

The project team evaluated existing facilities, documented current and future space requirements, developed a strategy for improving maintenance hangars over time and created a new aircraft parking plan. Because the aircraft parking requirements must be recalculated every time the aircraft numbers change, the team developed a unique, hybrid Gantt chart—a one-page aircraft inventory movement graphic—that depicts project sequencing and available hangars and aircraft apron parking spaces throughout the transition timeline. The Gantt chart enabled planners to create detailed implementation strategies and meet evolving mission needs. In addition, the team developed and distributed pocket-sized cards featuring a color-coded map and ADP executive summary. The cards serve as quick and convenient reference guides for installation leaders making day-to-day decisions.

Outcome

While most plans focus only on the end-state, this ADP provided a realistic, stepped funding approach. By analyzing historical military construction and sustainment funding levels for Hurlburt, as well as future funding projections, the plans enable frequently changing military leadership to focus on their contributions to the end result.  

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Benefits 

While ensuring mission readiness during a period of significant change, the plan provides the foundation for Hurlburt Field to justify the MILCON projects needed to accommodate mission changes over time with the new aircraft inventory. The plan will also result in increased flightline operational efficiencies across the installation.

Client
U.S. Air Force

Location
Hurlburt Field, FL

Challenge

  • Align existing aircraft hangars and parking space with needs of new, larger aircraft
  • Increase efficiency of aircraft maintenance units

Solution

  • Develop area development plan
  • Create aircraft inventory movement graphic
  • Distribute quick reference cards

Services
Planning, programming and pre-design

Benefits

  • Clear plan for aircraft replacement
  • Renovated hangars and realigned aircraft parking spaces
  • More efficient aircraft maintenance units

Insights
Article: Reconciling Air Force Real Property Records

Blog: Woolpert’s Blueprint for Military Planning

Blog: Installation Energy and Water Plans (IEWPs) Target Energy, Water Resilience in Military Planning