Hegseth unveils radical overhaul of Pentagon acquisition
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled a radical overhaul of the Pentagon acquisition process, allowing the military to procure technology faster amid escalating global threats, reports The Guardian.
This fundamental shift in military procurement signals a major change.
In a speech to industry leaders, military commanders, and officials at the National War College, Hegseth detailed the transformation of the Defense Acquisition System. This aligns with an executive order signed by Donald Trump in April.
"Today, at my direction, the defense acquisition system as you know it no longer exists. It is now the wartime acquisition system," Hegseth announced.
He emphasized the gravity of the shift: "It is not just a name change. We are not building for peacetime. We are orienting the Pentagon and our industrial base to a wartime posture."
The restructuring is designed to tackle what officials call "unacceptably slow" acquisitions by slashing bureaucracy within the Department of Defense.
The plan will establish portfolio acquisition executive roles. These executives will hold direct authority over major weapons programs to eliminate red tape. Furthermore, commercial products will become the default acquisition approach, significantly simplifying the solicitation process, according to Reuters.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
