As the Air Force looks to integrate new capabilities across the service that depend on modern software, its top weapons customer said it needs to have more software developers in its workforce as initiatives move forward.
“I see a lot of challenges in our software development,” Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Andrew Hunter said Thursday during the McAleese Defense Programs Conference. “It’s a case where it’s not necessarily just a matter of time and suddenly we’ll find all the software experts that we need to do the sophisticated, very complicated software development that we need for some of these really advanced capabilities.”
Speaking to DefenseScoop on the sidelines of the conference after his remarks, Hunter added that he is not concerned about the quality of software developers in the Air Force. Instead, he wants to have more workers as some of the key programs under development — including the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Block 4 upgrades and the B-21 Raider stealth bomber — move further into the production cycle.
The concern is heightened by the competition for talent between the commercial sector, the Ministry of Defense and military contractors, he noted.
“We are developing a number of areas where our industry partners are aggressively trying to increase their software development capabilities. I worry about the pace at which we can accelerate because of the competition with the private sector,” Hunter said. “I’m not worried about the quality of people we’re getting, I just want more.”
At the same time, Hunter noted that there are inconsistencies in the Air Force as it turns to embrace modern software development practices. He said the transition should include appropriate contracting methods, a highly skilled workforce and the tools needed to use these new capabilities.
The process has been difficult so far. The transition is happening in pockets throughout the service, not in a consistent fashion, he said.
“It’s uneven and painful until we get those things lined up and it starts clicking and starting to work,” Hunter said. “We’ve made great progress, but it’s not yet fully aligned with modern software development across the spectrum of activities.”