Scott C. Hardiman, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Air Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Nuclear Command, Control and Communications and Director of the NC3 Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. As the leader of one of AFNWC’s execution directorates, he is responsible for integration of the Air Force's NC3 Weapon System and leads more than 400 Airmen, government civilians and support contractors. Additionally, he directs the acquisition execution of a $14 billion portfolio of Acquisition Categories, non-ACAT and sustainment programs. As the PAE for NC3, he reports directly to the Service Acquisition Executive and is the milestone decision authority for delegated ACAT II and all ACAT III programs in the NC3 portfolio.
Mr. Hardiman entered the Air Force in 1984 after graduating from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, as a distinguished graduate with a regular commission. He began his military career as a Propulsion Systems Test Manager in the Propulsion System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. During his 22-year military career, he served in program management, logistics and higher headquarters positions. Early in his career, he managed programs that included test and production of advanced jet engines for F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft and advanced radar systems, communications and radar facilities for the U.S.-Canadian North Warning System. He performed duties in logistics at the former Sacramento Air Logistics Center, as a staff officer in the Program Executive Office for Airlift and Trainer Programs at the Pentagon, and as a Country Desk Officer and Branch Chief in the Secretary of the Air Force’s International Affairs Directorate. In his final two military assignments, he served as the Deputy System Program Director for the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter program and then as the Materiel Squadron Commander for B-52H bomber modernization at Wright-Patterson AFB.
He began his civilian government service in 2006 as Deputy Director of the 851st Electronic Systems Group, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, where he was responsible for a $5 billion program providing next-generation airborne sensor and battle management capabilities. He then served in several positions, including as a research fellow at RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California; as the Deputy Director of Electronic Systems Center’s Capabilities Integration Directorate; and as the Chief of the Space and Nuclear Networks Division. Prior to his current position, Hardiman was the Program Executive Officer for NC3 and Director of the NC3 Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hanscom AFB.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1987 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1990 Master of Science, Systems Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1996 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Advanced Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2005 Executive Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2009 Air Force Research Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
2014 Executive Seminar on Enterprise Perspectives, U.S. Air Force Civilian Strategic Leadership Program, Washington, D.C.
2015 Executive Seminar on Leadership Development, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2022 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge
2023 Senior Acquisition Management Course for General Officers and Senior Executives, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. August 1984–July 1986, Propulsion Systems Test Manager, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. July 1986–June 1987, F110-GE-129 Engine Production Program Manager, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. June 1987–June 1988, Executive Officer, Deputy for Propulsion, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. June 1988–September 1989, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
5. October 1989–November 1994, Program Manager, Alaskan Unattended Radar Facilities Construction, and Chief, Alaskan Projects Branch, Surveillance and Control Systems Directorate, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
6. November 1994–September 1997, Logistics Career Broadening Officer, Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan AFB, Calif.
7. October 1997–August 2000, Director, Trainer and Outsize Airlift Programs, Air Force Program Executive Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. August 2000–August 2002; Country Desk Officer for Canada, France, Austria and Germany; and Chief, Western Europe Branch, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs; HAF; the Pentagon; Arlington, Va.
9. September 2002–July 2004, Chief, F-117 Modernization Division; Chief, F-117 Weapon System Support Division; and Deputy System Program Director, F-117 System Program Office; Aeronautical Systems Center; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. July 2004–July 2006, Commander, 651st Aeronautical Systems Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. July 2006–retired from active duty
12. September 2006–June 2008, Deputy Director, 851st Electronic Systems Group, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
13. July 2008–July 2009, Air Force Research Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
14. August 2009–March 2011, Deputy Director, Capabilities Integration Directorate, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
15. March 2011–December 2012, Chief, Space and Nuclear Networks Division, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
16. December 2012–October 2015, Deputy Chief, Space, Aerial and Nuclear Networks Division, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
17. October 2015–January 2022; Deputy Director; Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Integration Directorate; Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center; Hanscom AFB, Mass.
18. January 2016–January 2022, Deputy Program Executive Officer for NC3 and Deputy Director, NC3 Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
19. January 2022–January 2026, Air Force Program Executive Officer for NC3 and Director, NC3 Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
20. January 2026–present, Air Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for NC3 and Director, NC3 Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
German Armed Forces Silver Honor Cross
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1984 Distinguished Graduate and Regular Commission, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
1996 Outstanding Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
2000 Excellent Graduate, Air War College
(Current as of March 2026)