Capt Daniel Onorato

Capt Daniel Onorato serves as a key acquisition professional within the FA8808 Military Satellite Communications System Program Office, responsible for managing the development and sustainment of protected satellite communication systems critical to U.S. military operations. He oversees the procurement of advanced, jam-resistant technologies including Protected Tactical SATCOM (PTS-G) and Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS), ensuring the Department of the Air Force maintains resilient, global, and secure space-based communications. His acquisitions focus on cutting-edge R&D and systems integration to counter evolving threats in the electromagnetic spectrum, aligning directly with the agency’s mission to field next-generation space communications architectures. Capt Onorato collaborates with a broad spectrum of defense aerospace and systems integration contractors specializing in secure satellite payloads, waveform development, and ground segment modernization. While no single vendor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages Tier 1 defense primes and niche technology innovators with proven expertise in RF protection, encryption, and space-based signal processing. His contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and long-term sustainment partnerships, fostering collaborative relationships with firms capable of rapid prototyping and iterative fielding under tight security protocols. His procurement activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized, classified, and technologically advanced nature of the systems he procures, where only a limited pool of cleared, qualified vendors possesses the requisite expertise. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, he maintains engagement with qualified small businesses through subcontracting opportunities and industry days. Capt Onorato’s acquisitions are exclusively categorized under NAICS 541715, reflecting a deep focus on research and development in physical and engineering sciences. He procures advanced satellite communication payloads, secure waveform technologies, anti-jam antennas, and space-based networking systems, requiring deep expertise in RF engineering, signal integrity, and space systems architecture. His domain expertise centers on next-generation protected SATCOM capabilities essential for strategic command and tactical battlefield resilience.