WEBVTT

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- [Narrator] So what exactly

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does Air Force Material Command
do for the Air Force anyway?

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We could start by saying we're a command

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of more than 87,000 strong

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with lots of really smart people

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who do really important things

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but that doesn't begin to
tell the story of AFMC.

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From uniforms to runways, to
aircraft, to nuclear weapons,

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the food our airman eat, to
the tools our airmen use.

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The AFMC mission impacts
everything the Air Force does.

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Our mission is to
develop, deliver, support,

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and sustain war winning
capabilities for our war fighters.

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That means we investigate
and develop new technology.

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Make that technology
work for the war fighter

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buy it, maintain it, and make
sure it continues to work

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through upgrades and maintenance.

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We do this to make sure our Air Force

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continues to be the most lethal air space

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and cyber force the world has ever known.

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AFMC airmen have their hand
in every Air Force mission.

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Now, how does one command manage

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to touch every Air Force mission?

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Say hello to our workforce,

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over 87,000 patriots around the globe,

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AFMC airmen are everywhere.

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We are made up of six centers responsible

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for research and development,

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acquisition,

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testing,

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maintenance,

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sustainment,

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and daily mission support
for our conventional

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and nuclear weapons systems.

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We build and maintain
installations across the globe.

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We retire, worn out weapons systems

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and we preserve the stories
and heritage of our Air Force

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for future generations.

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From inception to
retirement, AFMC does it all

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and our nation is counting
on us to do it all.

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Let's try to break this down a bit.

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Think about your car,

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when you drove it off
the lot did you think

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about the designers who created
the cutting edge vehicle?

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The engineers who made sure the radio

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doesn't turn on the windshield wipers?

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Probably not, but in reality,
that's exactly what AFMC does.

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When our war fighters
need a new weapon system,

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we come up with a concept, an idea.

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We work with all six of our
centers towards a common goal

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of delivering what our
Air Force needs to fly,

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fight, and win today and in the future.

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Now let's take a quick look
at what these centers do

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to make things happen for AFMC.

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First up are the scientists,
engineers, the idea people.

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These airmen find, develop

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and deliver new military technologies.

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Re-imagining what's possible

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to create innovative new
capabilities for our military.

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What are we talking about?

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How about metals and ceramics for engines?

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To withstand the extreme heat
and high pressure environments

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for hypersonic speeds.

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Our new stretchable liquid
metal systems can conduct energy

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regardless of shape or strain.

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Our high powered electromagnetic system

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can strategically defeat
swarming drones in an instant,

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and we're developing high speed
weapons to keep our enemies

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at bay in contested environments.

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AFRL pushes the boundaries

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of what's possible for air and space.

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The airmen of the Air Force
Life Cycle Management Center

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are the shoppers for the command.

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They play a key role in finding solutions

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that get technology in
our war fighters hands

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as fast as possible.

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Our Life Cycle Management
Center teams work

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with mission partners and contractors

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to create solutions for Air Force weapons

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and systems from beginning to retirement

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ensuring our war fighters have
the competitive advantage.

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If airmen fly it, fuel it, transport it,

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drive it, wear it, eat
it, communicate with it,

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or drop it on targets, our
AFLCMC airmen provide it.

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They have developed and managed

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the most powerful Air Force on the planet.

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So let's circle back to your new car.

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Let's say you're driving down the road

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and you turn on your radio
expecting your favorite tunes,

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instead, your blinker turns on.

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Now imagine that lack
of detailed engineering

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in a lethal weapon system

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we have to make sure
our systems work right.

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Our Air Force Test Center

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methodically checks out each system

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the Life Cycle Management Center buys

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to eliminate problems and issues

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before a system reaches
a war fighter hands

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and make sure the taxpayer
gotten what they paid for.

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They test the limits of our new systems,

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so operators stay safe.

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They broke the sound barrier in 1947

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and they continue to take
appropriate risks to ensure airmen

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come home safe from the fight.

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Once the system is placed into action

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it needs to be maintained just
like you should take your car

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to the mechanic for routine maintenance

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our Air Force weapons systems
need periodic servicing

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and updates to stay in action.

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That's the role of our teams at

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the Air Force Sustainment Center

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through our depots located across the US,

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our skilled maintainers and craftsmen

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provide world-class maintenance
and supply chain management

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leveraging cutting edge systems

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to predict future failures.

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Print parts with 3D printers
and reverse engineer cards

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to ensure our platforms
retain the cutting edge

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for the war fighter.

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Our AFSE teams, our mechanics,

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keep our aircraft and systems as ready

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as possible for our
airmen across the globe.

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(machine operating)

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AFMC is also responsible for ensuring

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our nation's nuclear
deterrent is never doubted

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and always feared.

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Our Nuclear Weapons Center
airmen synchronize all aspects

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of nuclear material
management for our nation.

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From developing next
generation capabilities

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to supporting development and
testing of nuclear weapons

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for our Air Force and
sustaining current capabilities

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for decades to come, while
the other centers are focusing

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on systems and platforms.

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Our Air Force Installation
and Mission Support Center

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is hard at work, ensuring installations

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and support structures
exist for our airmen

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and the systems they bring to the fight.

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Just as you will need a place
to drive and park your car

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AFIMSC ensures airmen have the
infrastructure they need too,

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much like a City Works
Department maintains

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and repairs roads, AFIMSC oversees

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the development and maintenance
of the buildings, housing,

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roads, and airfields.

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They manage the policemen, landscapers

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and construction workers for bases.

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They ensure we have the
right gas in our vehicles

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and fuel in our airmen
through our dining facilities

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and healthy eating initiatives.

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The Installation and Mission
Support Center shapes

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the foundation of America's
air, space and cyber power

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and ensures our bases can project air

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and space power anywhere in the world.

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Air Force systems can
not operate indefinitely

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and part of our mission
at AFMC is to plan for

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and retire our aircraft
and systems at the end

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of their operational life.

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Much like when your car
reaches 150,000 miles

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you must decide what is next.

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You will likely seek to buy a new vehicle.

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But what happens to the old one?

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It's retired and often used for parts,

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the aircraft maintenance
and regeneration group,

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also part of the sustainment
center is responsible

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for the long-term storage

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of more than 4,000 retired aircraft.

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We can resurrect whole aircraft
or use their parts to repair

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and maintain operational aircraft.

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Finally, we have the honor

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of preserving our air
and space force heritage

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at the National Museum of the Air Force.

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We keep more than 135,000 Air
Force artifacts and stories

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to educate future
generations on the history

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and importance of air and space power.

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It's located in Dayton,
Ohio, and it's the oldest

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and largest Military
Aviation Museum in the world.

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From concept through design,
operational use to final rest

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there is not a platform,
system, or product

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that hasn't been touched
by an AFMC airmen.

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We think our job is pretty important.

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Actually, we are the
most important command

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to ensure our nation stays one step ahead

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of our adversaries, to deter future wars

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and if deterrence fails to win.

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We are one AFMC.

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Powering the world's greatest Air Force.

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(upbeat music)