Tinker AFB, Oklahoma - Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC­ALC)

The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC­ALC) at Tinker AFB provides worldwide logistics support for a variety of weapons systems, including B­1B, B­2, B­52, E­3, multi­purpose C­135 series, and provides depot support for the Navy E-6 aircraft. The Navy Strategic Communications Wing (STRATCOMMWING) ONE is based at OC-ALC allowing for depot support of the E-6 aircraft. Commonality between the E-6 and E-3 airframes facilitates maximum utilization of depot support functions already in place. OC-ALC manages all 25 series of contractor logistics support (CLS) aircraft including the C­9, VC­25, E­4, KC­10, C­26, C­20, and C-12 aircraft of the Air Force, Army and other military services.

In 1990, the Air Force determined it could not meet the full depot maintenance requirement for 23 B-1B aircraft per year at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center without adding personnel or offloading other aircraft workload to contractors. The center awarded a sole-source contract to Rockwell International Corporation, the B-1B manufacturer, to perform programmed depot maintenance on about 5 aircraft per year, leaving 18 aircraft to be repaired at the air logistics center. At the time, the Air Force anticipated that contractor support would decrease and eventually the entire annual B-1B workload would be repaired at the center. The original depot maintenance contract (1-year contract with 4 option years) expired at the end of fiscal year 1995. At that time, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center was ready to assume the entire workload. However, because of uncertainties surrounding the 1995 base closure and realignment process and the resulting need to maintain two sources of repair, a contract extension was awarded to Rockwell for fiscal year 1996. Subsequently, the Air Force awarded an additional contract extension for five aircraft for fiscal year 1997, with an option for the same number in 1998.

OC­ALC manages 19 types of engines (aircraft jet engines, missile engines, and helicopter engines). Tinker is designated the source of repair (SOR) for 11 of the 19 and is currently repairing the TF30, TF33, F101, F107, F108, F110, and F118 engines. OC-ALC is SOR for the Navy F110-400 and TF30-414A engines and manages the J79 engine. OC-ALC begins repair in FY95 of the CFM56-2A-2 engine which powers the Navy E-6 aircraft.

OC-ALC is the only source of repair, overhaul, and test for the air launched cruise missile (ALCM) and the F112-100 cruise missile engines. All of the functions are accomplished in a single facility that also has the capability to repair and overhaul the Navy F107-400 sea launched cruise missile (SLCM) engine.

OC-ALC is designated the Technology Repair Center (TRC) for hydraulics/pnuedraulics, oxygen/other gas generating equipment, instruments, B-1B offensive avionics systems, and engine-related exchangeable. The center manages approximately 82,000 accessory items and annually repairs approximately 250,000 exchangeable.

Operational Flight Program (OFP) software support, modifications, enhancements and new capabilities for the B-1B, B-2, E-3 are currently being accomplished in the Weapon System Support Center and Avionics Integrated Support Facility. B-52/ALCM software integration is also being worked in the Avionics Integrated Support Facility.

OC­ALC is located at Tinker AFB in the southeastern Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It lies between Interstate 40 on the north and Interstate 240 on the south. It is five miles east of Interstate 35. Tinker AFB has a total of 4,996 acres and 761 buildings that enclose approximately 15.2 million SF of floor space. The industrial complex is responsible for depot level maintenance, and has 55 buildings with 5.5 million SF, and plant equipment valued at $330M.

The Tinker AFB work force totaled 24,509 in FY94 with a payroll of $760.9M. This figure consists of 8,695 military and 15,814 civilian employees. (Maintenance work force and payroll are 6,040 and $260M, respectively.) Over 99 percent of Tinker's employees reside in eleven counties surrounding the base. Oklahoma County has the greatest number of Tinker employees, over 73 percent of the work force. Forty percent of the work force are from an urban industrial community and are hired to perform lesser skilled work. Generally these employees have related training or experience and require short-term training specific to the position being filled. When training needs occur, the center has an in-house aircraft maintenance vocational/technical training program in which employees can complete intermediate skill training in a short time period. Approximately 35 percent of the work force are moderately skilled, and are from Tinker's industrial/aviation pool. Approximately 25 percent are highly skilled and come from military/civil aerospace related industries in the general recruiting area.

Late in 1940 a group of Oklahoma City businessmen and civic leaders learned that the War Department planned to locate a maintenance and supply depot in the central United States. They purchased 960 acres of land and took a 60­day option on an additional 480 acres to be used as the War Department saw fit. On 8 April 1941, the order was officially signed awarding the depot project to Oklahoma City. In 1942 the new installation was named Tinker Field in honor of Major General Clarence L. Tinker. Tinker's industrial plant repaired B­17 and B­24 bombers and engines, and fitted B­29s for combat during World War II. In 1946 Tinker expanded to include the Douglas Aircraft Plant and was named Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area (OCAMA).

During the Korean conflict, OCAMA gave materiel support to the US effort there. The rest of the fifties were noted for base expansion and new management responsibilities. OCAMA undertook complete system management of the latest Air Force weapons, the B­52 bomber and the KC­135 tanker. In 1958, the most encompassing project in Tinker's history took place when hundreds of B­47s flew in for wing modification.

In the 1960s, OCAMA responded to crises as it steadily increased its role in management of weapons systems. It provided substantial aid to the Air Force in the Berlin crisis of 1961 and in the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962. Throughout the Vietnam conflict, Tinker provided significant logistics support, especially for the B­52 bombers. In 1974, the depot was renamed the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC­ALC).