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

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.^[3]

The assistant secretary directs the Air Force program executive officers on matters relating to acquisition management and conduct. The PEOs are not a part of Headquarters Air Force; rather, they are organized separately, but report to the service acquisition executive.^[4]

They provide 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,^[5] as well as capability areas such as information technology and command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.

The assistant secretary of the air force for acquisition (SAF/AQ) 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, and program executive officers, who manage execution for a portfolio of programs.^[6]

In the past, similar duties and responsibilities now carried out by the SAF/AQ were performed by former offices in the Air Force Secretariat:^[6]

• Special Assistant for Research and Development – September 1950 to February 1955
• Assistant Secretary for Materiel – May 1951 to February 1964

• Assistant Secretary for Research and Development – March 1955 to May 1977

• Assistant Secretary for Research, Development, and Logistics (SAF/AL) – May 1977 to April 1987
• Assistant Secretary for Acquisition (SAF/AQ) – April 1987 to ~2018

By early 2018, the assistant secretary of the air force for acquisition (SAF/AQ) was renamed to the assistant secretary of the air force for acquisition, logistics and technology, while retaining the abbreviation SAF/AQ.^[7][8]