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

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

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.

Quick Facts Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics), Style ...
Assistant Secretary of
the Air Force (Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics)
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Seal of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics
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Assistant Secretary of the Air Force flag
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Incumbent
Darlene J. Costello
Acting 
since January 20, 2025
Department of the Air Force
StyleThe Honorable
Reports toSecretary of the Air Force
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
NominatorThe President with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 9016
Formation1987
Succession18th 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
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level IV
Websiteww3.safaq.hq.af.mil
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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)

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

(Acting)

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

(Acting)

January 20, 2021 February 7, 2022 Joe Biden John P. Roth
Frank Kendall III
14 Thumb Andrew Hunter February 7, 2022 January 20, 2025 Joe Biden Frank Kendall III
Thumb Darlene J. Costello

(Acting)

January 20, 2025 Incumbent Donald Trump Gary A. Ashworth
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References

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