George Forbes
Director, Digital Operations Directorate, Headquarters Air Force A3X
Last year saw the successful development and launch of the Air Resource Tool Enterprise Mission Information System, replacing legacy aviation resource management systems with a secure, scalable, cloud-native platform that consolidates fragmented data into a single source of truth for aviation readiness.
By tracking medical compliance, training and flight hours for over 68,000 Air Force aviators, ARTEMIS gives commanders near real-time visibility into force readiness. What once took eight to 10 weeks to report can now be delivered in about two hours, saving thousands of hours each year and directly increasing operational readiness and lethality, said George Forbes.
The Air Force’s main focus is modernizing systems and automating tasks so airmen can focus on what matters most, while improving how the service spends resources and prioritizes funding where it has the greatest impact, Forbes said.
Technology must be an enabler, not an inhibitor, and programs like ARTEMIS show what is possible when the Air Force partners with industry, Forbes said. Built in just 180 days, ARTEMIS shows there is no reason the service cannot leverage private-sector advances to move faster and innovate at pace.
“I’m tremendously proud of our team and the work we’re delivering the enterprise,” Forbes said. “The team is transforming aviation resource management and modernizing how we track so much for aircrews — we’re providing airmen and commanders with almost real-time, decision-ready information. That visibility directly supports Air Force warfighters, boosts our collective readiness, and scales our potential lethality. We’re driving purposeful change, and I look forward to seeing what we accomplish next.”
Why Watch
One of the Air Force’s key priorities is developing and fielding the Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System, a next-generation, cloud-based enterprise platform that replaces legacy aircrew scheduling, stan/eval, and training systems.
“ARES will be a game changer for our warfighters,” Forbes said.
Fun fact: Forbes is an avid outdoorsman, and traveling by RV to explore new locations and national parks across the country is a passion he shares with his wife and family.