Aaron Velasco

Aaron Velasco serves as a key procurement lead within the 4th Combat Communications Squadron (FA4809), supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to maintain resilient, secure, and expeditionary communications infrastructure for air operations. He manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on advanced radio systems, aircraft subsystems, and specialized security services critical to operational readiness. His work ensures the squadron can deploy and sustain mission-critical communications in contested environments, with a strong emphasis on modernizing secure broadcast networks and integrating next-generation tactical communication technologies. Velasco maintains consistent partnerships with established defense and aerospace contractors including Solomon Engineering, Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, and Western Metal Supply Company, Inc., often engaging them for specialized engineering, avionics integration, and ruggedized hardware procurement. His contracting patterns reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in military-grade communications systems and rapid deployment logistics. He frequently collaborates with firms possessing relevant ITAR and DFARS compliance, ensuring adherence to stringent national security standards in supply chain management. A strong advocate for small business participation, Velasco consistently prioritizes Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with over 64% of his acquisitions reserved for small businesses. This reflects a deliberate strategy to foster innovation and capacity-building within the defense industrial base, particularly among service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone-certified firms. His contracting approach aligns with Air Force initiatives to broaden vendor diversity and enhance supply chain resilience through socioeconomic contracting. His procurement focus centers on NAICS codes related to security systems services, air transportation support, and specialized manufacturing, though notable anomalies in spectator sports and mobile food services suggest data classification inconsistencies. His core technical domain expertise lies in secure communications hardware, tactical network enablers, and aircraft auxiliary systems, demonstrating deep familiarity with DoD acquisition frameworks and operational requirements for expeditionary communications.