NEWTON, Mass. -- Senior defense acquisition leaders discussed business and partnership opportunities with industry and academia during New Horizons 2026, held March 9-11.
A recurring theme at this year’s event, hosted by the Lexington-Concord Chapter of AFCEA, focused on acquisition transformation aligned with the Pentagon’s priorities of speed, operational relevance, and decisive combat advantage.
“This strategy reflects a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change how we do business,” said James Ruocco, currently performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of War for Acquisition. “We are not tinkering around the edges. We are operating with a wartime urgency.”
A key component of this new direction is the establishment of portfolio acquisition executives in place of program executive officers.
Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, spoke about empowering leaders to direct program outcomes and the importance of adaptability within industry.
“I challenge you to think through how you and your organizations can go faster with us,” said Shipton to industry partners in attendance. “We are progressing quickly as a service, and I hope you will join us on that journey to adapt, compete and deliver.”
Throughout the discussions, speakers emphasized that acquisition must be treated as a warfighting function and that transformation will reshape the relationship between government and industry.
“The PAEs are mission-focused and held accountable on a scorecard at the highest level of government,” said Steven Wert, deputy assistant secretary for acquisition integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. “It will result in many more frank conversations between PAEs and their industry counterparts.”
Strong partnerships with the industrial base will be essential as the Air Force transitions to the new structure.
“For those in harm’s way, we owe them our strongest work ethic,” said Brig. Gen. Joshua Williams, PEO for Cyber and Networks Directorate. “We need the industrial base to work alongside us.”
Another priority highlighted during the event was advancing sensing capabilities to support decision advantage.
“Electromagnetic spectrum dominance is central to decision advantage,” said Lea Kirkwood, PEO for Electronic Systems Directorate. “Without it, we will lose before the first shot is fired.”
Scott Hardiman, PAE for Nuclear Command, Control and Communications and director of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center NC3 Integration Directorate, provided perspective on the progress the NC3 portfolio has made in recent years.
“When I look at where we are today, versus where we started 10 years ago, our understanding and knowledge of C3 has greatly increased,” said Hardiman. “We’ve delivered capability out to the field, and we continue to push for more modernization of NC3. We are on a journey here, and the mission is critical.”
The three-day event closed with a look at how these capabilities integrate across the force.
“The DAF BATTLE NETWORK is the difference between winning and losing modern warfare,” said Kate Nelson, the director for the Department of the Air Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management. “We make operational decisions in the moment of need and are closing kill chains faster. We must organize and deliver capabilities to the operators.”