White House names acquisition leaders at DOD, Air Force

The White House announced nominations for two key defense acquisition positions Jan. 3 for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Air Force.

Kevin Fahey, who formerly led the Army's Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology's systems engineering and integration and was the program executive officer for combat ground systems, will become the assistant defense secretary for acquisition. Fahey's last role was as the vice president of combat vehicles and armaments for Cypress International.

The White House named William Roper, the current director for the defense secretary's Strategic Capabilities Office, to be the Air Force's assistant secretary of acquisition. Roper was previously the acting chief architect at the Missile Defense Agency, the missile defense advisor for the under secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics and a national security analyst at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory.

Both positions require Senate confirmation and are referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee.