Walter Bustelo

Background

About Walter Bustelo

As an experienced Air Force acquisition professional with over 28 years of dedicated service, I have excelled in various engineering, program management, and senior leadership roles. My career has been defined by pivotal positions in major aerospace programs such as the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15 Strike Eagle, and the Department of the Air Force Business and Enterprise Systems Portfolio. In my career, I have led flight test programs for the F-22 and multiple Special Operations Command weapon systems, including the AC-130 Gunship. Managed $50B acquisition and sustainment efforts for 32 partner nations as Senior Program Manager and Materiel Leader. Competitively selected for commanded roles and attended the USAF Test Pilot School and Joint Service Schools, where I developed and executed flight test techniques and collaborated with international partners and the joint force. Served as Program Element Monitor for Air Force Special Programs, overseeing all DoD anti-tamper efforts and aircraft survivability. Held positions as Assistant Director of Operations and Flight Test Engineer for the 413th Flight Test Squadron, F-35 Italy and Turkey Program Manager, and Director for F-16 Foreign Military Sales. The peak of my Air Force career was at the Air Force Business and Enterprise Systems (BES), where I led all agile software development and innovation efforts for the Department of the Air Force Financial Systems. As Senior Director and Deputy Program Executive Officer, I was responsible for operating, integrating, and innovating a wide range of systems, including medical, human resources, and war planning. BES supports daily flying operations and over 3.3 million users worldwide. Throughout my extensive career, I have consistently demonstrated expertise in Leadership and Strategic Decision-Making, Program Management and Execution, Customer Engagement and Senior Stakeholder Management. My dedication and contributions have significantly advanced critical defense programs, ensuring their success and operational excellence. I am passionate about leveraging my experience to continue driving innovation and excellence in defense and aerospace programs. Skills/Area of Expertise include: Leadership/Vision | Strategic Partnerships | Technical Program Management | Cross Functional Integration | Problem Solving | International Partnerships | Senior Stakeholder and Congressional Engagement