Trump nominates Niemi as Air Force’s inaugural chief modernization officer
Maj. Gen. Christopher Niemi has been nominated to serve as the Air Force’s first-ever chief modernization officer as part of a reorganization of the service’s Air Force Futures.
The Trump administration announced Niemi’s nomination for promotion to three-star general on Wednesday. If confirmed by lawmakers, he would serve in a dual-hatted position as both the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for strategy, design and requirements and the service’s official chief modernization officer, according to an Air Force spokesperson.
Niemi’s nomination comes as the Air Force restructures its A5/7 directorate, also known as Air Force Futures. In October, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink announced that the service would reverse a Biden-era decision to establish the Integrated Capabilities Command (ICC) — envisioned as a separate major command that would develop future operational concepts, requirements and modernization plans.
Instead, the department will consolidate the functions of the ICC into the existing Air Force Futures. A key part of the reorganization includes creating a new chief modernization officer who will be responsible for force design; mission integration and mission threads; capability development and requirements; and modernization investment priorities.
“The transformation of our organization reflects a deliberate shift toward a more integrated modernization enterprise – one that ensures the capabilities developed today are informed by force design, resourced effectively and delivered at the pace required for future conflict,” Niemi said in an April 1 press release.
Niemi served as the commander of the provisional ICC and helped build out the new MAJCOM from September 2025 until March 2026, when the command was officially deactivated. The now-defunct command was one of several initiatives under former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s effort to “reoptimize” the Department of the Air Force for future conflicts.
Niemi has previously held a number of positions responsible for planning, programs and requirements — including roles at Air Force Warfare Center, Air Combat Command and Pacific Air Forces.
