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.
| Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration | |
|---|---|
SAF/SQ seal | |
Flag of an assistant secretary of the air force | |
Incumbent since January 20, 2025Major General Stephen G. Purdy Acting | |
| Department of the Air Force | |
| Style | Mr. Secretary The Honorable (formal address in writing) |
| Reports to | Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force |
| Seat | The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States |
| Nominator | The president with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 9016 |
| Formation | 2019 |
| Succession | 18th in SecDef succession by seniority of appointment |
| Deputy | Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration |
| Salary | Executive Schedule, Level IV |
| Website | Official website |
Responsibilities
The assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration serves as the space service acquisition executive (SAE) and the senior procurement executive for space programs in the Department of the Air Force.
History
The position of the assistant secretary of the air force for space acquisition and integration was created in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, signed on 20 December 2019, to oversee and direct the Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Rapid Capabilities Office, and Space Development Agency.
The position was directed to stand up as the Space Service Acquisition Executive (SAE) in 2022. Prior to this date, the position was responsible for advising the existing SAE for space programs, the ASAF for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (ASAF (AT&L), encoded as SAF/AQ). The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ) was created by merging the Office of the Principal Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for Space (SAF/SP) with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SAF/AQS).
List of assistant secretaries
| No. | Assistant Secretary | Term | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Duration | ||
| Assistant Secretary for Space | ||||||
| 1 | Martin C. Faga (1941–2023) | September 28, 1989 | March 5, 1993 | 3 years, 158 days | ||
| – | Jimmie D. Hill Acting | March 6, 1993 | May 19, 1994 | 1 year, 75 days | ||
| 2 | Jeffery K. Harris | May 19, 1994 | February 26, 1996 | 1 year, 283 days | ||
| – | Keith R. Hall (born 1947) Acting | February 27, 1996 | March 28, 1997 | 1 year, 30 days | ||
| 3 | Keith R. Hall (born 1947) | March 28, 1997 | December 13, 2001 | 4 years, 260 days | ||
| Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space | ||||||
| 4 | Peter B. Teets (1942–2020) | December 13, 2001 | March 2005 | ~3 years, 92 days | ||
| 5 | Gary Payton (born 1948) | ~March 2005 | ~August 2010 | ~5 years, 153 days | ||
| 6 | Richard W. McKinney | August 2010 | November 2013 | ~3 years, 92 days | ||
| 7 | Troy E. Meink | November 2013 | June 2014 | ~212 days | ||
| 8 | Winston A. Beauchamp | 2015 | ~August 2017 | ~2 years, 61 days | ||
| 9 | John P. Stopher | August 2017 | April 2018 | ~243 days | ||
| Principal Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for Space | ||||||
| 9 | John P. Stopher | April 2018 | January 2019 | ~275 days | ||
| - | Shawn J. Barnes Acting | January 2019 | December 20, 2019 | ~339 days | ||
| Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration | ||||||
| - | Shawn J. Barnes Acting | December 20, 2019 | August 24, 2021 | 1 year, 247 days | ||
| - | Brigadier General Steven P. Whitney (born 1970) Acting | August 24, 2021 | May 5, 2022 | 254 days | ||
| 10 | Frank Calvelli | May 5, 2022 | January 20, 2025 | 2 years, 260 days | ||
| - | Major General Stephen G. Purdy (born 1971) Acting | January 20, 2025 | Incumbent | ~333 days | ||
List of military deputies to the assistant secretary
The military deputy to the assistant secretary of the air force for space acquisition and integration was formerly the director of space programs at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SAF/AQ). The officeholder is responsible for helping the assistant secretary oversee research and development, test, production, product support and modernization of Space Force programs.
The post was renamed to the current title in August 2020 after Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall ordered the acceleration of separating space acquisition authority from SAF/AQ.
| No. | Military Deputy | Term | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Duration | ||
| Director of Space Acquisition | ||||||
| - | Major General Joseph B. Sovey | April 2002 | February 2004 | ~1 year, 306 days | ||
| - | Major General Craig R. Cooning | July 2004 | ~June 2007 | ~2 years, 335 days | ||
| - | Major General Neil McCasland | June 2007 | June 2007 | ~2 years, 0 days | ||
| - | Major General Susan K. Mashiko | July 2009 | January 2010 | ~184 days | ||
| - | Brigadier General John E. Hyten | September 2009 | February 2010 | ~153 days | ||
| Director of Space Programs | ||||||
| - | Major General John E. Hyten | September 2010 | May 2012 | ~1 year, 243 days | ||
| - | Major General Robert McMurry | April 2012 | May 2014 | ~2 years, 30 days | ||
| - | Major General Roger Teague | May 2014 | June 2017 | ~3 years, 31 days | ||
| - | Brigadier General Mark Baird | June 2017 | June 2018 | ~1 year, 0 days | ||
| - | Major General Nina Armagno | July 2018 | August 2020 | ~2 years, 31 days | ||
| - | Brigadier General Steven P. Whitney | August 2020 | August 24, 2021 | ~1 year, 9 days | ||
| Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration | ||||||
| 1 | Major General Steven P. Whitney | August 24, 2021 | July 2, 2023 | 1 year, 312 days | ||
| 2 | Major General Stephen G. Purdy | July 2, 2023 | Incumbent | 2 years, 170 days | ||
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