Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition William LaPlante will retire at the end of November and return to a senior position at the MITRE Corp., according to the Air Force.

LaPlante joined the Air Force in 2013 as principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition. He was promoted to assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition in 2014. Before arriving at the Air Force, LaPlante spent eight years as a department head for global engagement at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and two years as missile defense portfolio director at MITRE.

Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Wednesday LaPlante’s deputy will perform his duties until someone else is named. That man is Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Military Deputy Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch. The assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition position is subject to Senate confirmation.

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition William LaPlante. Photo: Air Force.
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition William LaPlante. Photo: Air Force.

Upon returning to MITRE, LaPlante will also resume his prior participation in the Defense Science Board (DSB), where he will advise top Defense Department leadership on critical scientific and technological topics related to the effectiveness of the nation’s military forces.

Air Force Secretary Deborah James, in a statement, lauded LaPlante for his “Should Cost” acquisition savings initiative, which she said was a cornerstone of her priority for making every dollar count. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L) Frank Kendall said in a statement LaPlante’s efforts saved billions of dollars, brought program risks and costs under control and enhanced the professionalism of the Air Force acquisition team.

LaPlante’s resignation comes soon after the Air Force awarded its biggest contract in years: the classified Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB). Northrop Grumman [NOC] won the contract, thought to be worth around $55 billion. The award is currently under protest by Boeing [BA] and Lockheed Martin [LMT].