Heather M. Buckler

Heather Buckler serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), supporting the lifecycle acquisition and sustainment of critical naval aviation systems. She manages complex contracts for aircraft, weapons, avionics, and mission-critical logistics infrastructure, ensuring alignment with the Navy and Marine Corps’ operational readiness goals. Her work spans the full acquisition lifecycle—from requirements validation and source selection to contract award and performance oversight—focusing on advanced platforms that maintain air superiority and expeditionary capability. Buckler’s portfolio emphasizes technical integration, systems engineering, and sustainment support for carrier-based and land-based aviation assets. She maintains sustained contracting relationships with leading defense primes including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with firms capable of delivering high-assurance aerospace and missile systems. These collaborations involve long-term, performance-based contracts for development, integration, and maintenance of next-generation platforms, including rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and precision-guided munitions. Her approach prioritizes technical fidelity, supply chain resilience, and industrial base stability, fostering deep vendor engagement across the defense aerospace ecosystem. Buckler’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 85.7% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions. The remaining 14.3% are awarded under Total Small Business Set-Asides (FAR 19.5), indicating a measured but intentional commitment to small business participation without compromising mission-critical capability requirements. While socioeconomic programs are utilized, her focus remains on mission need, ensuring small businesses compete on technical merit and capacity to deliver complex aviation systems. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), 332994 (Ordnance Manufacturing), and 336414 (Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing), reflecting deep expertise in airborne weapons systems, flight control architectures, and integrated avionics. She regularly procures advanced sensors, propulsion components, and mission-specific payloads, demonstrating specialized knowledge in aeronautical engineering, systems integration, and defense logistics.