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

Assistant Secretary of
the Air Force (Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics)
Seal of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force flag
Incumbent
Andrew P. Hunter
since February 7, 2022
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

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.

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]

  1. ^ 10 U.S.C. § 9016(b)(4)(b).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  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. ^ a b "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.

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