the secretary of the air force activated the office 28 april 2003. one of its first projects was to deploy significant upgrades to the integrated air defense system, now operational around the national capital region. currently, rco is working on the x-37b orbital test vehicle to demonstrate a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the united states air force. additionally, rco, in conjunction with mit lincoln lab and other partners, is developing a sensitive airborne receiver system. the system is scheduled for in-theater evaluation during the summer of 2009. the rco red team assesses current and future threats to u.s. combat operations by providing independent technical assessments.