Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics)

Last updated
Assistant Secretary of
the Air Force (Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics)
SAF AQ Logo.png
Seal of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics
Flag of the General Counsel and Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force.png
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force flag
Andrew P. Hunter (2).jpg
Incumbent
Andrew P. Hunter
since February 7, 2022
Department of the Air Force
Style The Honorable
Reports to Secretary of the Air Force
Seat The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
NominatorThe President with Senate advice and consent
Term length No fixed term
Constituting instrument 10 U.S.C.   § 9016
Formation1987
Succession 18th in SecDef succession by seniority of appointment
DeputyPrincipal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Acquisition, Technology & Logistics
Principal Military Deputy for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics
Salary Executive Schedule, Level IV
Website ww3.safaq.hq.af.mil

The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) (SAF/AQ) is a civilian position in the Department of the Air Force that is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. This position is established under Title 10 US Code Section 9016 and is one of five Assistant Secretary positions under the Secretary of the Air Force. The Assistant Secretary reports to the Secretary of the Air Force.

Contents

Under the law a Principal Military Deputy serves with the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. The Principal Military Deputy is required to be an active duty officer with a background in acquisition and program management. If the Assistant Secretary position is vacant the law permits the Principal Military Deputy to serve up to a year as the Acting Assistant Secretary. Of the five Assistant Secretary positions established by law, only the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition is required to have a Principal Military Deputy. [1]

Before Andrew Hunter, Darlene Costello served as acting Assistant Secretary for the second time. During the Obama and Trump administrations, Costello served as acting Assistant Secretary, from February 2016 to February 2018. [2] In 2018, Will Roper was confirmed to the role, serving from February 2018 to January 2021. [3] Despite Roper's requests to the Biden transition to be retained in the position in the new administration, his efforts went unheeded, and he resigned on January 20 as is custom. [4] Upon his departure, Darlene Costello again became acting Assistant Secretary until a new Secretary is appointed. With 3 years in the role as of January 2022, Costello's service as SAF/AQ, spanning three presidencies and four Secretaries of the Air Force, ranks among the longest in the history of the position, despite never being confirmed by the Senate.

On July 16, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Andrew Hunter, a defense industry/acquisition researcher and former Pentagon official, [5] for the position, and Hunter was confirmed by the Senate on February 2, 2022. [6] Hunter was formerly a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' International Security Program and director of CSIS' Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group. [5]

Responsibilities

The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition serves as the single service acquisition executive (SAE) and the Senior Procurement Executive for the Department of the Air Force. They are responsible for acquisition and product support for all Air Force acquisition programs and manages the Air Force science and technology program. [7]

They provides direction, guidance and supervision of all matters pertaining to the formulation, review, approval and execution of acquisition plans, policies and programs. The Assistant Secretary oversees $40 billion annual investments that include major programs like the KC-46A Pegasus, F-35 Lighting II, B-21 Raider, [2] as well as capability areas such as information technology and command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.

History

The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition position was created in 1987 by National Security Decision Directive 219, following recommendations from President Reagan's Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management. The Commission recommended the Department of Defense have clear lines of authority for acquisition management and outlined roles and responsibilities between the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the military departments. This move established the Defense Acquisition Executive, the Service Acquisition Executives for each military department, Program Executive Officers who manage execution for a portfolio of programs.

Prior to 1987, similar duties and responsibilities now carried out by the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition were performed by offices in the Headquarters Secretariat with the following names and dates:

Assistant Secretary for Material - May 1951 to February 1964

Special Assistant for Research and Development - September 1950-February 1955

Assistant Secretary for Research and Development - March 1955 to May 1977

Assistant Secretary for Research, Development and Logistics - May 1977-April 1987 [8]

Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics)

No.PortraitNameAssumed officeLeft office President appointed by Secretary served under
1 John J. Martin [8] May 1977May 1979 Jimmy Carter John C. Stetson
2 Robert J. Hermann.jpg Robert J. Hermann [9] July 1979August 1981 [10] Jimmy Carter Hans Mark
3 Alton Keel 1986.jpg Alton G. Keel, Jr. [11] July 30, 1981 [12] 1982 Ronald Reagan Verne Orr
4 Thomas E. Cooper [13] January 1983April 1987 Ronald Reagan Verne Orr
Russell A. Rourke
Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.
Daniel S. Rak (Acting)April 1987October 1987 Ronald Reagan Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.
5 John J. Welch, Jr. [14] October 1987April 1992 Ronald Reagan Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.
Donald Rice
6 G Kim Wincup 1.jpg G. Kim Wincup [15] May 1992December 1992 George H. W. Bush Donald Rice
Darleen Druyun.jpg Darleen A. Druyun (Acting)January 1993May 1994 William J. Clinton Michael B. Donley
7 Clark Fiester.jpg Clark G. Fiester [16] May 1994April 17, 1995 William J. Clinton Sheila Widnall
Darleen Druyun.jpg Darleen A. Druyun (Acting)April 17, 1995January 26, 1996 William J. Clinton Sheila Widnall
8 MoneyArthurL.gif Arthur L. Money [17] January 26, 1996February 1998 [18] William J. Clinton Sheila Widnall
F. Whitten Peters
9 Dr Lawrence J Delaney, Acting Secretary of the Air Force.jpg Lawrence J. Delaney [19] April 29, 1999 [20] January 20, 2001 William J. Clinton F. Whitten Peters
10 Marvin R Sambur.jpg Marvin R. Sambur [21] November 8, 2001 [22] January 2005 George W. Bush James G. Roche
11 Sue C Payton.jpg Sue C. Payton [23] July 21, 2006 [24] January 20, 2009 George W. Bush Michael Wynne
Michael B. Donley
David M Van Buren.jpg David M. Van Buren [25] (Acting)January 20, 2009March 2012 Barack Obama Michael B. Donley
12 Dr. William A. LaPlante, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition).jpg William A. LaPlante, Jr. [26] February 12, 2014November 2015 [27] Barack Obama Deborah Lee James
Richard W. Lombardi.jpg Richard W. Lombardi (Acting)November 2015February 2016 Barack Obama Deborah Lee James
Darlene J. Costello.jpg Darlene J. Costello

(Acting)

February 2016February 1, 2018 Barack Obama Deborah Lee James
Donald Trump Heather Wilson
13 Will Roper official photo.jpg William B. Roper, Jr. February 1, 2018January 20, 2021 Donald Trump Heather Wilson
Barbara Barrett
Darlene J. Costello.jpg Darlene J. Costello

(Acting)

January 20, 2021February 7, 2022 Joe Biden John P. Roth
Frank Kendall III
14 Andrew P. Hunter (2).jpg Andrew Hunter February 7, 2022Incumbent Joe Biden Frank Kendall III

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Secretary of the Air Force</span> Statutory office and the head of the U.S. Department of the Air Force

The Secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the Secretary of the Department of the Air Force, is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. The secretary of the Air Force is a civilian appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The secretary reports to the secretary of defense and/or the deputy secretary of defense, and is by statute responsible for and has the authority to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Department of the Air Force</span> Military department for the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force

The United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Air Force was formed on September 18, 1947, per the National Security Act of 1947 and it is the military department within which the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force are organized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of the Secretary of Defense</span> United States government agency management and oversight body

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is a headquarters-level staff of the United States Department of Defense. It is the principal civilian staff element of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal, and program evaluation responsibilities. OSD is the Secretary of Defense's support staff for managing the Department of Defense, and it corresponds to what the Executive Office of the President of the U.S. is to the U.S. president for managing the whole of the Executive branch of the federal government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Wynne</span> American government official & business executive (born 1944)

Michael Walter Wynne is an American politician and business executive and was the 21st United States Secretary of the Air Force. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked for and received his resignation on June 5, 2008, in the wake of the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident and the mistaken shipment of Minuteman III parts to Taiwan in 2006, followed by an investigation by and a critical report from Admiral Kirkland H. Donald regarding the Minuteman incident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment</span>

The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, or USD(A&S), is the Principal Staff Assistant (PSA) and advisor to the Secretary of Defense for all matters relating to acquisition and sustainment in the Department of Defense. This includes the DoD Acquisition System; system design and development; production; logistics and distribution; installation maintenance, management, and resilience; military construction; procurement of goods and services; material readiness; maintenance; environment and energy resilience ; utilities; business management modernization; International Armaments Cooperation, Cooperative Acquisition and International Agreements, Promoting exportability of military components to allies and partners; nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs; and nuclear command, control, and communications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael B. Donley</span> American government official (born 1952)

Michael Bruce Donley is a United States government official who is the director of administration and management in the Office of the Secretary of Defense since May 2021, having served in the same position from 2005 to 2008. In the Bush and Obama administrations, Donley served as the 22nd secretary of the Air Force, amongst other positions. Donley has 30 years of experience in the national security community, including service on the staff of the United States Senate, White House and The Pentagon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Kendall III</span> 26th United States Secretary of the Air Force (born 1949)

Frank Kendall III is an American engineer, lawyer and executive who is the 26th and current United States Secretary of the Air Force. He has served in several senior positions in the U.S. Department of Defense. A West Point graduate, he retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army Reserve. From 2011 to 2017, Kendall served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics in the Obama Administration. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Under Secretary of the Army</span> United States government office

The United States under secretary of the Army is the second-highest-ranking civilian official of the United States Department of the Army, serving directly under the United States Secretary of the Army. The Secretary and Under Secretary, together with two military officers, the Chief of Staff of the United States Army and the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, constitute the senior leaders of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Under Secretary of the Air Force</span> Second-highest ranking civilian official in the Department of the Air Force of the USA

The under secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the under secretary of the Department of the Air Force, is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the Department of the Air Force of the United States of America, serving directly under the secretary of the Air Force. In the absence of the secretary, the under secretary exercises all the powers and duties of the secretary and serves as acting secretary when the position of secretary is vacant. The under secretary of the Air Force is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering</span>

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, abbreviated USD (R&E), is a senior official of the United States Department of Defense. The USD (R&E) is charged with the development and oversight of technology strategy for the DoD. The post has at various times had the titles Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, or Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E). The latter title has itself historically varied between the rank of under secretary and that of assistant secretary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heidi Shyu</span> Taiwanese-American engineer and government official

Heidi Shyu is an American engineer who has served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in the Biden administration since July 25, 2021. She previously served as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology ASA(ALT) from 2012 to January 30, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Norquist</span> American government official (born 1966)

David Lutz Norquist is an American financial management professional and former government official who served as the 34th United States deputy secretary of defense from 2019 to 2021. In May of 2022, Norquist was selected as the president and chief executive officer of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Roper</span> American physicist

William B. Roper Jr. is an American physicist and foreign policy strategist who served as the 13th Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, overseeing procurement for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force from 2018 to 2021. Before taking office he served elsewhere within the Department of Defense as founder and director of the Strategic Capabilities Office, and prior as Ballistic Missile Defense System Architect at the Missile Defense Agency. He was also a member of the 2018 National Defense Strategy steering group. He is currently the CEO at Istari, as well as serving as senior advisor at McKinsey and Co., and teaching at Georgia Tech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration</span> American political post

The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ) is a civilian position in the United States Department of the Air Force that is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. This position is established under Title 10 US Code Section 9016. The assistant secretary reports to the Secretary of the Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susanna Blume</span> American government official

Susanna Vreeland Blume is an American government official who is the Senate–confirmed Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) for the Department of Defense. She began performing the duties of the director of CAPE on January 20, 2021. She was sworn in as the official director on August 5, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mara Karlin</span> American foreign policy and defense advisor

Mara Elizabeth Karlin is an American foreign policy and defense advisor. In April 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Karlin to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by voice vote on August 9, 2021. Previously, she served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. In her role, she served as the main advisor to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on U.S. security policies related to every country in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere. Her portfolio included shaping U.S. defense policy related to NATO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabe Camarillo</span> American attorney and government official (born 1976)

Gabriel Omar Camarillo is an American attorney who has served as the 35th under secretary of the Army in the Biden administration since February 8, 2022. He previously served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 2015 to 2017 during the Obama administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Estevez</span> American government official

Alan F. Estevez is an American government official who is currently serving as under secretary of commerce for industry and security in the Biden administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew P. Hunter</span> American defense official

Andrew Philip Hunter is an American defense official and policy analyst who is the 14th and current assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics (SAF/AQ). Prior to becoming an Air Force Assistant Secretary, he was the director of the defense industrial initiatives group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Before joining CSIS, Hunter spent 15 years as a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, and as a senior procurement official at the Department of Defense during the Obama administration.

References

  1. ↑ 10 U.S.C. § 9016(b)(4)(b).
  2. 1 2 "Darlene Costello Biography". www.af.mil. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  3. ↑ "Dr. Will Roper Biography". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  4. ↑ Weisgerber, Marcus (January 5, 2021). "Roper Makes His Pitch To Biden Team: 'I Want to Be Part of the China fight'". Defense One . Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  5. 1 2 "President Biden Announces Seven Key Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: White House. July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  6. ↑ Sheehey, Maeve (July 16, 2021). "Former Sen. Tom Udall is Biden's pick as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa". POLITICO . Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Headquarters Air Force Mission Directive 1-10" (PDF). www.e-publishing.af.mil/. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  8. 1 2 Benson, Lawrence (1997). Acquisition Management in the United States Air Force and its Predecessors. US Government Printing Office. p. 55.
  9. ↑ services, united states. congress. senate. committee on armed. "Image 25 of Nominations of Hans M. Mark, Antonia H. Chayes, Robert Jay Hermann, and John Howard Moxley III : hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session ... July 13, 1979". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  10. ↑ Directors at the National Reconnaissance Office at Fifty Years (PDF). Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance. 2011. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  11. ↑ Nomination of Thomas Edward Cooper To Be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Dec. 15, 1982. Note: Keel held the title "Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Research, Development, and Logistics)"
  12. ↑ "PN528 - Nomination of Alton Gold Keel Jr. for Department of Defense, 97th Congress (1981-1982)". www.congress.gov. 1981-07-30. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  13. ↑ Nomination of Thomas Edward Cooper To Be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Dec. 15, 1982. Cooper was initially appointed "Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Research, Development, and Logistics)". The title changed in the course of Cooper's tenure in office.
  14. ↑ George Bush: Continuation of John J. Welch, Jr., as an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Aug. 9, 1989
  15. ↑ Wincup bio Archived 2011-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ "Clinton nomination". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  17. ↑ "PN695 - Nomination of Arthur L. Money for Department of Defense, 104th Congress (1995-1996)". www.congress.gov. 1996-01-26. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  18. ↑ "Honorable Arthur L. Money, Senior Fellow". www.potomacinstitute.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  19. ↑ "Air Force Biography". Archived from the original on April 1, 2001. Retrieved 2017-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ↑ "PN117 — Lawrence J. Delaney — Department of Defense". congress.gov.
  21. ↑ Archived biography
  22. ↑ "PN821 — Marvin R. Sambur — Department of Defense". congress.gov.
  23. ↑ Payton Bio from Air Force
  24. ↑ "PN1473 — Sue C. Payton — Department of Defense". congress.gov.
  25. ↑ "Van Buren bio". Archived from the original on 2011-02-02.
  26. ↑ "LaPlante bio". Archived from the original on 2014-05-02.
  27. ↑ "Air Force acquisition lead moves to MITRE".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.