Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) is a high-ranking official within the United States Department of Defense responsible for all matters relating to the acquisition of weapon systems, services, and supplies, as well as the sustainment and logistics of the United States Armed Forces. This position serves as the principal advisor to the United States Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense on these critical functions, overseeing a vast portfolio to ensure the technological superiority and readiness of the United States military. The office was established in its current form in 2018, consolidating the former roles of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics and the Deputy Chief Management Officer.

History

The origins of the position trace back to the Packard Commission reforms of the mid-1980s, which sought to streamline defense acquisition following significant cost overruns and schedule delays in major programs. This led to the creation of the position of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition in 1986, with John A. Betti as the first appointee. The role was later expanded to become the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) in 1999, incorporating oversight of research and development and logistics. A major reorganization mandated by the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 split the USD(AT&L) functions, creating the USD(A&S) to focus on acquisition and sustainment while establishing a separate Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to lead technological innovation.

Responsibilities

The USD(A&S) holds statutory authority as the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE), with principal responsibility for all Department of Defense acquisition and sustainment programs. Key duties include establishing policies and procedures for the Defense Acquisition System and the Defense Logistics System, overseeing the performance of the entire defense industrial base, and managing the department's multi-billion dollar portfolio of Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs). The office also leads efforts in product support, supply chain resilience, nuclear enterprise sustainment, and the procurement of services. Furthermore, the USD(A&S) chairs the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) and works closely with the military departments like the United States Department of the Army and United States Department of the Air Force.

Organization

The office of the USD(A&S) is organized into several principal deputy and assistant secretary positions that manage specific functional areas. These include the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. Key subordinate organizations include the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and the office of the Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting. The USD(A&S) also oversees the Department of Defense's efforts in industrial base policy and cybersecurity for acquisition systems, coordinating with agencies like the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.

List of officeholders

The officeholders have included notable figures from government and industry. The first, John A. Betti, was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Subsequent holders have included Jacques Gansler under President Bill Clinton, Kenneth J. Krieg under President George W. Bush, and Frank Kendall III, who served as the last USD(AT&L) and became the first USD(A&S) in 2018. Ellen M. Lord served from 2017 to 2021, appointed by President Donald Trump. The current under secretary, William A. LaPlante, was confirmed by the United States Senate and sworn in during the administration of President Joe Biden.

Major programs and initiatives

The USD(A&S) oversees the execution of some of the Department of Defense's most complex and costly programs. These include next-generation platforms like the F-35 Lightning II program, the Columbia-class submarine, the B-21 Raider bomber, and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems. Major sustainment initiatives focus on improving weapon system readiness and include efforts like the Condition Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) strategy. The office also leads critical cross-cutting initiatives such as the implementation of Adaptive Acquisition Framework pathways, the modernization of the Nuclear Weapons Council sustainment processes, and efforts to strengthen the defense industrial base against challenges from competitors like the People's Liberation Army.

Category:United States Department of Defense officials Category:Acquisition