Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, or ASD (A), is one of three assistant secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.^[1] The position is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Defense on matters relating to acquisition program management; the Department of Defense Acquisition System; and the development of strategic, space, intelligence, tactical warfare, command and control, and business systems.^[2]

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition's priority, is to deliver a Defense Acquisition System that is flexible, tailorable, and enables speed, and is able to deliver capability at the point of need. Currently, the office is focused on transitioning from an acquisition system that is expensive, slow, and burdensome towards one involving reduced timelines, lower costs, and improved quality.^[1]

Organization

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition has the following people reporting to them:^[3]

• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
• Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Enablers
• Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategic, Space, and Intelligence Portfolio Management
• Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management
• Executive Director, Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell
• Principal Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting
• President, Defense Acquisition University
• Director, Defense Contract Management Agency

Office holders

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

References

1. "Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition - OUSD A&S". Retrieved 14 February 2021.
2. "Dyke D. Weatherington". Retrieved 14 February 2021.
3. "ASD(A) Organization Chart". Retrieved 15 February 2021.
4. "Department of Defense Key Officials September 1947–March 2022" (PDF). Historical Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
5. "Katrina G. McFarland, assitant [sic] secretary of defense (acquisition)". 6 May 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
6. "Katrina G. McFarland, assitant [sic] secretary of defense (acquisition)". 6 May 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
7. "Kevin M. Fahey – Senate Armed Service Committee – Confirmation Hearing-Nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition" (PDF). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
8. "Memorandum for Senior Pentagon Leadership Defense Agency and DOD Field Activity Directors" (PDF). 19 January 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
9. "OUSD A&S Leadership". www.acq.osd.mil. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
10. "OUSD A&S Leadership".
11. https://www.linkedin.com/company/asd-acquisition/ ^{[self-published source]}
12. "OUSD A&S - Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acquisition)".
13. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ousd-as_acquisition-and-sustainment-leadership-transition-activity-7171189646884757505-sF4d
14. "OUSD A&S - Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acquisition)".
15. "Cummings to serve as acting Pentagon acquisition head". DefenseNews. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
16. "OUSD A&S Leadership".
17. "OUSD A&S - Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acquisition)".