Air 
Force Secretary Michael Donley said he’s not seeking a return of milestone decision authority for space programs from the Defense Department. Speaking with reporters Monday, Donley said that last week’s announced restructure of the Air Force headquarters space enterprise wasn’t meant as an overture to regain space acquisition authority, which was taken away about five years ago, during a leadership vaccum at the undersecretary level. “I expect the milestone decision authority… for ACAT 1 and space to remain with AT&L [the defense undersecretariat for acquisition, technology, and logistics], Donley said. “I think that makes sense for the department.” He said such authority should stay there given the Pentagon’s efforts at streamlining acquisition. There was a “separate process for space” and there shouldn’t be, he said. He added that the fact that he has not requested return of milestone authority “did not get close attention” when the HQ space restructure was announced.
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. 14.
