Expertise
Program Management, Fleet Sustainment, Systems Engineering/Engineering Management, Airworthiness Certification, Portfolio Management, Acquisition Strategy Development
Profile
Colonel Darrell Holcomb, USAF (Ret), is a proven performer with over 30 years of experience in program management, systems engineering, fleet sustainment, and consulting. He has direct program leadership experience at USAF product centers, logistics complexes, and Headquarters where he successfully led multiple programs in every life cycle phase from developmental planning through fleet retirement. Colonel Holcomb was the system program director for the C-130, C-141 and C-5 aircraft fleets; portfolio manager for all intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), special operations forces (SOF) and unmanned air vehicle (UAV) fleets, including Global Hawk, Predator, U-2, and others; and deputy program executive officer (PEO) for all USAF aircraft programs (500+ programs).
Significant Career Accomplishments
Led the C-5 team to highest ever availability rates; completely revamped maintenance strategy and stood up organic depot capability for C-17.
Airworthiness certification authority for multiple platforms and modifications; Subject matter expert and instructor in numerous MIL-HDBK-516-based airworthiness technical domains including aircraft icing, flight technology, propulsion, structures, and systems engineering, as well as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements.
Led the USAF’s largest acquisition wing with over 80 programs (including 10 ACAT-I programs) and served as deputy PEO for aircraft with oversight of 500+ acquisition and sustainment programs.
Systems program director for the C-130 tactical airlift fleet of more than 1,300 aircraft with 23 variants and 62 foreign customers.
Key Positions
Commander, ISR/SOF Aeronautical Systems Wing
Vice Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) (now AFLCMC)
Commander, Strategic Airlift Sustainment Group Tactical Aircraft, Sustainment Group
Program Director, C-130, C-141 and C-5 Aircraft
Material Group Director, F-22 Aircraft
System Sustainment Manager, C-17 Aircraft
Director, JSF Acquisition Strategy
Deputy Program Manager, X-35 Aircraft
Program Manager and Program Element Monitor (PEM), B-2 Aircraft
Education
MS, Systems Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)
PSE, R&M Engineering, AFIT
MS, National Security Strategy, National Defense University
BS, Mathematics/Physics, Cumberland College
BS, Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering, AFIT
Advanced & Executive Program Manager’s Courses, Defense Systems Management College (DSMC)
Senior Acquisition Course, National Defense University
Air Command and Staff College
Air War College
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
