During an address before delegates to the 1996 Air Force Association National Convention and Aerospace Technology Exposition, held in Washington, D.C., Secretary of the Air Force Sheila E. Widnall reviewed the service's modernization plans and business practices, singling out the C-17 transport aircraft, which, she said, was filling one of the most urgent operational needs of field commanders.

"Most importantly, that aircraft has proven its worth in spades in operations around the world," Widnall said. "It had barely reached operational status, in fact, when it demonstrated exactly why we needed it in the operations in Bosnia. It got rave reviews at every level of government -- but the most important were those that it received from the people in country,' working in the mud to make that peacekeeping mission a success, who depended on that aircraft for their lifeline. And it didn't let them down."

The C-17, whose fate was in doubt just a year ago because of troubles during development, was the first step in a time-phased modernization program. The Air Force currently plans to buy 120 of the airlifters.

The secretary also placed a high priority on conventional bomber upgrades, the F-22 fighter, the Joint Strike Fighter, and on modernizing space forces, which provide the nation global awareness.

Widnall said the F-22 was "at the core of our future capabilities," stating that the program was taking shape and was on track. During a news conference following her remarks, she told reporters that the Air Force is maintaining a cooperative, open relationship with the contractor team. "I guess what I'm trying to do is use the experience that we gained on the C-17 to ensure that the F-22 is as successful an acquisition program," Widnall said during the press conference. "What we want to do is apply all the lessons learned with the C-17 in order to keep the program on track."

"We don't want any big surprises," Widnall said, later adding, "the old way of doing business is not acceptable."

Widnall earlier told AFA delegates that recent acquisition successes were attributable to a revolution taking place in Air Force business practices. "That revolution, in the end, will fundamentally change the way we do business," she said. "The motive is simple. We will fail in our mission if we cling to old ways of thought and old patterns of behavior."

When she was first named Air Force Secretary three years ago, she said, the C-17 program "was in real trouble." Costs were high, quality was low, and the relationship with the contractor, she said, "could almost be described as adversarial."

As a direct result of taking a more cooperative approach, Widnall said, the C-17 program has "evolved from terminally ill to a world-class performer."

The service's new capabilities and practices are being incorporated into another "quiet revolution" in the area of planning, Widnall said, citing a range of studies that have been underway in the Air Force, including "New World Vistas," "Air Force 2025," and "Spacecast 2020."

Widnall said that in the next month the Air Force's leadership will chart a path into the decades ahead, based on a year-long, long-range planning effort. "We are ready to step up to the toughest possible challenge -- of getting away from the in-basket, of getting away from today's problems, to define a goal decades away, and begin to mobilize resources towards reaching it."