Trump taps Raytheon executive for top military space acquisition post

President Donald Trump nominated Raytheon executive Erich Hernandez-Baquero to serve as assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration.

The role oversees how the Air Force and Space Force buy space systems, making the nomination directly relevant to satellite procurement, launch programs, and military space acquisition policy.

Hernandez-Baquero would arrive from RTX at a moment when space acquisition is under pressure to move faster while still managing large classified and unclassified portfolios. The nomination therefore matters beyond personnel news because it points to who may shape program pacing, oversight, and contractor engagement.

For companies watching the defense-space market, the next checkpoint is confirmation and early policy direction. Any shift in how the office treats speed, competition, or program risk could affect procurement lanes across missile warning, communications, launch, and space-domain awareness.