President Obama will nominate Ashton Carter as the new Secretary of Defense on Friday, USA Today reported based on administration sources. The 60-year-old Pentagon veteran already held the department's No. 2 job from 2011 to 2013 and is poised to replace Chuck Hagel, who announced his plans to resign last month.

Carter's expertise includes science, technology and "developing the Defense budget in tight economic times," the newspaper noted. He holds a physics degree from Yale and as undersecretary was responsible for the Pentagon's high-profile weapons acquisitions.

His history at the Department of Defense goes  back all the way to 1993 when Carter served as as assistant secretary of defense for international security policy during the Clinton administration, Forbes noted. In that capacity, which he held until 1996, Carter dealt with nuclear weapons policy and defense policy toward the former Soviet Union.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest announced the nomination event his daily press briefing Thursday afternoon, NBC News said, though he refused to specifically name Carter.

"The president will announce for himself who his nominee is," Earnest insisted.

Across Washington, however, there remained little doubt about who that person would be.

"(Ashton Carter is) respected by the military, and that's hugely important," Jane Harman told Politico. The Democrat, who formerly represented California in the House, heads the Wilson Center, a think tank, Forbes noted.

Carter's nomination comes at a time of "deep uncertainty" for the Pentagon, Military.com observed. To quell some of that sentiment, Obama hosted military leaders for an evening at the White House on Wednesday, the website said.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden invited the top brass in charge of U.S military commands, among others, for a meeting in the Cabinet Room, Military.com detailed. They were later joined by first lady Michelle Obama for a dinner at Blair House, the president's official state guest house.

"The sit-down comes at an awkward time for Obama, whose strained relationship with the Pentagon has been on full display since Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigned last month under pressure from the president," the site editorialized.

The outgoing defense secretary will stay on until his replacement - who will need Senate confirmation - can take over.