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| Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) | |
|---|---|
| Post | Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) |
| Body | Department of the Air Force |
| Style | Mr. / Ms. Assistant Secretary |
| Department | Department of the Air Force |
| Reports to | Secretary of the Air Force |
| Seat | The Pentagon |
| Appointer | President of the United States |
| Formation | 1987 |
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) serves as the senior acquisition executive for the Department of the Air Force, overseeing procurement, research, development, test and evaluation, and sustainment of United States Air Force and United States Space Force capabilities. The office interfaces with the Secretary of the Air Force, the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Congress, and industry primes such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman to deliver platforms like the F-35 Lightning II, KC-46 Pegasus, and B-21 Raider.
The Assistant Secretary provides executive leadership for acquisition programs, managing portfolios that include aircraft procurement, space systems, missile defense, and cybersecurity initiatives tied to programs like GBSD and MQ-9 Reaper maintenance, coordinating with services such as Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and Space Systems Command. The office sets acquisition strategies aligned with policy instruments including the Nunn–McCurdy Amendment, the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, and works with oversight bodies like the Government Accountability Office, the Department of Defense Inspector General, and relevant congressional committees such as the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.
The Assistant Secretary heads the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition office and directly oversees program executive offices, program executive officers, and principal deputies who coordinate with organizations including the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Space Development Agency, and Defense Contract Management Agency. Reporting lines integrate with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on capability needs and with the Secretary of the Air Force and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to ensure compliance with Defense Acquisition Board decisions and Joint Requirements Oversight Council guidance.
The Assistant Secretary is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, often after hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee and vetting by the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Tenure typically coincides with an administration cycle, though incumbents may serve across administrations or in acting capacities similar to other political appointees such as the Secretary of the Air Force or the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
The portfolio includes stewardship of major programs like the F-35 Lightning II sustainment initiatives, the B-21 Raider development oversight, modernization efforts for the KC-46 Pegasus tanker fleet, integration of Hypersonic Weapons prototyping, and space acquisitions such as procurement for GPS III and resilient satellite architectures championed by the Space Development Agency. The office also advances initiatives in areas linked to artificial intelligence experimentation through partnerships with Defense Innovation Unit, test ranges like Edwards Air Force Base, and corporate partners including Raytheon Technologies and General Atomics.
Budget authority for acquisition programs is coordinated within the Department of the Air Force budget submission to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and ultimately to the Congress of the United States through the annual defense appropriations process administered by the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee, and is shaped by statutory authorities such as the Budget Control Act of 2011. Policy implementation aligns with department-wide acquisition frameworks like the Defense Acquisition System and initiatives for better buying power introduced during administrations of presidents including Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Since its formal establishment in the late 1980s, notable officials in acquisition leadership roles have included political appointees and senior executives who later engaged with industry, think tanks, and policy institutions such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Brookings Institution. Past holders and acting deputies have participated in high-profile program decisions affecting legacy programs like the F-22 Raptor and transition programs associated with NASA collaborations and international partnerships with allies including the United Kingdom and Australia.
The office has been subject to scrutiny in cases involving cost overruns, schedule delays, and procurement disputes exemplified by controversies surrounding programs like the KC-46 Pegasus tanker and sustainment costs for the F-35 Lightning II, prompting inquiries by the Government Accountability Office and testimony before congressional panels including the House Oversight Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. Oversight mechanisms have involved the Defense Contract Audit Agency, whistleblower protections under the Whistleblower Protection Act, and statutory remedies such as Nunn–McCurdy recertification requirements when program unit costs breach thresholds.