Alicia Castro

Alicia Castro supports the FA9302 AFTC PZZ mission by managing complex acquisitions for advanced airborne systems, mission-critical avionics, and next-generation communication technologies essential to air dominance and flight test infrastructure. She oversees the procurement of specialized aeronautical navigation and guidance systems, radio and wireless communications equipment, and integrated aircraft components used in developmental and operational testing environments. Her role is central to ensuring the Air Force’s test and evaluation capabilities remain at the forefront of technological innovation, aligning contracting strategies with urgent modernization priorities across the aerospace domain. Castro maintains consistent partnerships with key contractors including CARAHSOFT TECHNOLOGY CORP, STIRLING DYNAMICS LIMITED, and AANTILIA LLC, who provide specialized software development, systems integration, and advanced hardware solutions tailored to high-performance flight test platforms. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical precision and rapid iteration, often engaging vendors with proven expertise in real-time data acquisition, embedded avionics, and secure tactical communications. These relationships reflect a preference for contractors capable of delivering customized, mission-specific solutions under tight developmental timelines. Her contracting activity shows a strong preference for open competition, with 88.5% of awards issued without set-aside designations, reflecting the highly technical and specialized nature of the requirements. Nevertheless, she actively supports small business participation, with 11.5% of awards allocated under Total Small Business Set-Asides, ensuring emerging innovators contribute to critical aerospace capabilities. Castro’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) and 334511 (Aeronautical System and Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting her domain expertise in software-defined radio architectures, flight control algorithms, and precision navigation instrumentation. She regularly acquires secure communication modules, real-time telemetry systems, and integrated avionics suites that enable advanced flight testing and data-driven decision-making across the Air Force’s test range ecosystem.