Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink highlighted major changes in the Department of the Air Force’s acquisition process during his keynote speech Thursday at the Spacepower 2025 Conference, the U.S. Space Force reported.
What Are Troy Meink’s Thoughts on Portfolio Acquisition Executives?
One of the structural changes Meink cited is the shift from program executive officers to portfolio acquisition executives, or PAEs, to speed up the decision-making process and provide leaders with clearer authority.
“We’re moving from the old program executive officer model to portfolio acquisition executives, and the whole focus is making sure our people are empowered to do their jobs,” Meink said. “For too long, we’ve had responsibility without the authority to match. We’re fixing that by streamlining oversight and giving PAEs the ability to make decisions quickly — and we’ll have their backs when things don’t go right.”
“PAEs must have authorities, resources and talent to execute some of the most technical programs,” he added.
Meink urged the Space Force “to innovate faster and deliver capability at the pace the mission demands,” noting that automation will continue to play a critical role in satellite operations and data processing.
What Key Space Force Developments Did Gen. Saltzman Highlight at Spacepower 2025?
At the Space Force Association-hosted conference, Gen. Chance Saltzman, Space Force chief of space operations and a three-time Wash100 awardee, announced the naming of two Space Force weapon systems—Ursa Major and Bifrost—as part of a Guardian-driven initiative to enhance operational identity.
He highlighted the increasing role of allies and partners in the service branch’s force design, operational planning and exercises, citing Resolute Space 25 as a demonstration of combined readiness.
Saltzman also noted that the Space Force is accelerating the delivery of capabilities through modernized and streamlined acquisition processes to support warfighters and counter threats.
