Air Force scientist takes over as director of Space Force rapid procurement agency (Image Credit: Space News)
WASHINGTON — Kelly Hammett, former head of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate, is now director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office.
Hammett will lead the Space Force organization known as the Space RCO, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The office procures space technologies and manages classified programs for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command.
During more than two decades at AFRL, Hammett worked on programs like high-power lasers and high power microwave developments, and oversaw the the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing site known as AMOS. AFRL’s directed energy division has 1,200 employees and an annual budget of $355 million.
In a statement June 13, Hammett said: “I’m really excited about the new opportunity and the trust being placed in me to lead the Space RCO team as they deliver new capabilities to the U.S. Space Force that are desperately needed to fill important warfighter gaps.”
