On today's episode of the Govcon Giants Podcast, I sit down with Andrew Hunter, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, to unpack the realities of how the government buys—and where opportunities exist for contractors. With nearly two decades on Capitol Hill, years in the think tank space, and direct leadership in rapid acquisition at the Department of Defense, Andrew shares firsthand stories from counter-IED programs in Iraq to drone defense and logistics modernization. We dive into the $700B+ defense budget, the slowdown of new entrants into the federal market, and why outdated Air Force systems still create massive openings for innovative contractors ready to deliver modern solutions.

Key topics covered:

• Insights from Andrew Hunter's career spanning Capitol Hill, think tanks, and DoD rapid acquisition.

• Why new entrants into government contracting have slowed—and how small businesses can still break through.

• The urgent need to modernize legacy systems and the opportunities it creates for contractors.

Learn more: https://govcongiants.org/