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The Air Force is creating a new Space Technology Portfolio Executive to speed delivery of emerging space capabilities, an organizational change the service says directly implements recent Secretary of War directives to revamp defense acquisition and accelerate innovation.
Aligned under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ), the new executive will oversee the transition of cutting‑edge technologies from laboratories and the commercial sector into programs, aiming to cut bureaucracy and move systems to the field faster.
According to the department, the move carries out two mandates from the Secretary of War: a November 2025 order to transform the Defense Acquisition System into a “warfighting” construct, and a January 2026 order to reshape the defense innovation ecosystem to deliver operational advantage more rapidly. By centralizing space technology transition under a single leader, the Air Force intends to synchronize efforts across programs and better leverage commercial and non‑traditional suppliers.
“We are no longer operating a traditional acquisition system; we are building a warfighting acquisition system,” said Erich Hernandez-Baquero, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration. “SecWar has made it clear that we must transform our innovation ecosystem to outpace the threat. Standing up the Space TPE provides the dedicated leadership necessary to aggressively transition breakthrough technologies from the lab and the commercial sector directly to our portfolio acquisition executives.”
The Space Technology Portfolio Executive will connect the Air Force Research Laboratory, portfolio acquisition executives, and commercial partners to streamline rapid prototyping, accelerate integration of commercial capabilities, align technology investments across the space enterprise, and field advanced operational tools for warfighters in a contested space environment.
