The U.S. Space Force has announced six mission areas to be overseen by portfolio acquisition executives, or PAEs. The service said Tuesday that all PAEs will report to the secretary of the Air Force through the space service acquisition executive.
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What Mission Areas Will the New PAEs Oversee?
The newly designated portfolios are:
- Infrastructure
- Battle Management, Command, Control, Communication and Space Intelligence
- Satellite Communication and Positioning, Navigation and Timing
- Missile Warning and Tracking
- Space-based Sensing and Targeting
- Space Access
Each PAE will be responsible for delivering capabilities within a defined mission area, according to the Space Force. For instance, PAE Infrastructure will focus on delivering data management, training and personnel systems, while the PAE BMC3I will provide data, networks, command and control, and space domain awareness.
“To win in the long run we must innovate faster than our adversaries,” stated Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, a 2026 Wash100 Award winner. “These next six PAEs will allow us to do just that by capitalizing on the right talent, giving them the resources they need and empowering them to deliver mission effective capability to the warfighter faster.”
Tom Ainsworth, who is performing the duties of the Air Force assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration, mentioned three other PAE mission areas that the Space Force has yet to announce. The three PAEs will cover Space Control; Electronic Warfare, Cyber Warfare and Orbital Warfare; and Integration, Breaking Defense reported.
Why Is the Space Force Transitioning to Portfolio Acquisition Executives?
Space Force’s new PAEs align with the Department of the War’s acquisition overhaul to accelerate decision-making and capability delivery. The shift to PAEs reflects the Department of the Air Force’s effort to streamline acquisition and accelerate the delivery of capabilities to warfighters. By moving away from the program executive officer model, the department aims to align authority with responsibility and enable faster decision-making across integrated mission portfolios.
The Air Force previously announced five PEOs overseeing Fighters and Advanced Aircraft; Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management; Nuclear Command, Control and Communications; Weapons; and Propulsion.
