The Space Force is requesting $19.1 billion for procurement in fiscal 2027 — a 342 percent increase compared to FY26, officials revealed April 21 — a funding surge that will land on the desk of whoever oversees Space Force acquisitions next.
Who was nominated: Erich Hernandez-Baquero and Roger Mason
President Donald Trump has named two defense-industry executives to lead major U.S. government space acquisition and reconnaissance organizations, according to White House nomination notices. Erich Hernandez-Baquero, a Raytheon executive, was selected as a nominee to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration — the position that, the notice says, would take over the job of Frank Calvelli, the former Space Force acquisition czar. Roger Mason, an executive at defense contractor V2X, was tapped as the nominee to be director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), a role he would fill following former director Christopher Scolese. Both Hernandez-Baquero and Mason require senate confirmation for their posts.
Erich Hernandez-Baquero: industry role, Air Force pedigree, and NRO experience
Hernandez-Baquero currently serves as the vice president of space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems at Raytheon, an RTX subsidiary, according to his LinkedIn profile. The nomination notice links an industry resume to a government acquisition post that carries formal responsibility for Space Force procurement and integration. The post is formally the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration.
His academic and service background in the nomination materials and university records includes graduation from the US Air Force Academy and a doctorate degree in imaging science from the Rochester Institute of Technology, according to the university. Prior to his industry post, Hernandez-Baquero achieved the rank of colonel in the Air Force and served in government roles that included stints at the NRO.
Roger Mason: NRO nominee with intelligence systems and industry experience
Roger Mason's biography in the White House notice ties a recent industry career to earlier senior intelligence-analytical work. Mason has held various industry posts, including at corporations like Peraton and, most recently, as an executive at V2X, the notice says. Earlier in his career he served as the first assistant director of national intelligence for systems resource and analyses. Mason holds a PhD in engineering physics from the University of Virginia. If confirmed, Mason would succeed Christopher Scolese as director of the NRO.
Space procurement surge and the acquisition portfolio Hernandez-Baquero would inherit
The nominations arrive as a major procurement increase is being put forward for the Space Force. Officials revealed April 21 that the Space Force is requesting $19.1 billion for procurement alone in fiscal 2027 — a 342 percent increase compared to FY26. The White House notice explicitly links Hernandez-Baquero’s prospective confirmation to stewardship of Space Force acquisitions during that historic funding ramp-up; the article states, "If confirmed, Hernandez-Baquero would preside over Space Force acquisitions during a historic ramp-up in funding."
What this means for defense contractors, the Senate, and Space Force program offices
- Defense contractors and procurement leaders: Raytheon, V2X, Peraton and other contractors will watch the confirmation process closely; Hernandez-Baquero comes directly from a Raytheon role as vice president of space ISR systems, and Mason has recent industry ties, so company teams will be attentive to how nominees’ backgrounds shape procurement priorities.
- The Senate and policymakers: Both nominees require senate confirmation for their posts, so the next procedural step is the confirmation process; the outcomes will determine who implements the FY27 procurement strategy tied to the $19.1 billion request.
- Space Force program offices and the NRO workforce: Program managers and personnel at the Space Force and NRO will be preparing for leadership transitions — including the potential handoff from Frank Calvelli in acquisitions and from Christopher Scolese at the NRO — and for operational and contracting consequences of the stated procurement increase.
These nominations align industry experience and prior government service with two of the United States’ most consequential space management roles at a moment of steep procurement growth. The formal next step is the Senate confirmation process for both nominees; until that process concludes, the offices named in the White House notices will remain in transition as procurement plans and reconnaissance operations continue under existing authorities.
