Mobility wings win $1.8 million in mission execution awards and rebates

  • Published
  • By Secretary of the Air Force, Public Affairs

Active duty C-17 Globemaster III units from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and Travis Air Force Base, California, will receive over $1.8 million in rebates and awards as part of the Mission Execution Excellence Program, a new incentive program led by Air Force Operational Energy to enhance mission execution through more frequent use of operational ‘best practices.’

Working directly with aircrew, MEEP helps to streamline sorties and increase aircraft range and capability by incentivizing optimized flying through monetary rebates and awards provided directly to participating wings.

On Oct. 27, during a ceremony at the Airlift Tanker Association Symposium in Denver, the 60th Air Mobility Wing from Travis AFB received the Most Efficient award, with a cash rebate of $370,000 and award of $500,000. The 437th Airlift Wing from JB Charleston received the Most Improved award, with a cash rebate of $448,000 and award of $500,000.

Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, and Roberto Guerrero, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Air Force Operational Energy, presented the awards to Col. Robert V. Lankford, commander of the 437th Airlift Wing at JB Charleston, and Col. Derek M. Salmi, commander of the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis AFB who were integral to the success of the program.

The wings participated in the pilot-year of MEEP from May to October 2022. The program coordinators worked on-site with aircrew and operations support personnel to implement a range of best practices, tools, and techniques during operations, such as precision fuel planning, operational process improvements, and adherence to MEEP’s proven practices to reduce fuel demand, mitigate energy risk, and improve combat effectiveness.

Operational fuel data from each wing was closely tracked and compared against historical baselines to measure total efficiency gains, which then determined unit rebate amounts. During the five-month period, Charleston reduced their average shutdown fuel by 13,000 pounds per sortie and Travis reduced by 11,000 pounds per sortie. Together, they are projected to save over 1 million gallons of fuel each year, or roughly $4 million based on today’s fuel prices.

"Our energy demands are extraordinary and come with a lot of operational risk to the warfighter. We found that many of our aircraft were landing with 10,000 pounds over what was required to complete the mission - including divert fuel," said Lt Col Austin Street, 21st Airlift Squadron Commander at Travis AFB, California. "By optimizing fuel planning and safely decreasing landing weights among our heaviest aircraft, we can now reduce unnecessary fuel use and redirect those cost savings to the wing's high priority initiatives. This means during peacetime we're avoiding waste and reinvesting in our wings. During wartime, these tactics will be critical to mitigate risk to our energy supply chains and allow for extended range and fuel offload capability."

As the program grows, Air Force Operational Energy intends to expand funding to additional readiness and capability efforts as part of the Operational Energy Savings Account, which implements congressional authority to reinvest energy cost savings into programs that accelerate innovation in the Air Force. 

During the kickoff year of the program, MEEP directly funded expansion of Air Mobility Command’s -competency-based virtual and augmented reality training capability for aircraft maintenance and career enlisted aviator communities, as part of its Integrated Technology Platform initiative.

In 2023, the program is expanding to all C-17 and C-5 Galaxy active-duty strategic airlift units at Travis AFB, JB Charleston, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, as well as Air Force Reserve Command wings at Travis and Charleston.

If implemented across the entire mobility fleet, MEEP is projected to save 3% of total mobility fuel consumption, or approximately $80 million annually.

To learn more about the program and see how your wing can get involved, contact Air Force Operational Energy.