US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visits Joint Task Force North, US Northern Command, along the southern border at Fort Bliss, Texas earlier this month. (US Army/ Sgt. 1st Class Andrew R. Sveen)
WASHINGTON — Defense industry insiders are preparing for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to issue new guidance for the Pentagon’s acquisition process aimed at getting new tech into the field at a faster clip, Breaking Defense has learned.
Hegseth is expected to sign out a new memo kickstarting the process as early as this week, according to two sources. Though that timing could shift and memo contents remain under wraps for now, it is expected to be the first of several steps designed to accelerate the process of buying and fielding new weapons and software.
Both sources predicted an expanded role for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and its push to circumvent the traditional acquisition process.
The wait for more details about priorities and the road ahead comes after Hegseth promised to “rebuild” the military last week, to include the Department of Defense’s “acquisitions process [and] how we rapidly field new technologies.”
“There’s a lot of programs around here that we’ve spent a lot of money on that, when you actually wargame it, don’t have the impact you want them to,” he said during a townhall-style event on Feb. 7.
“That means I’m going to take a lot of arrows, and I’m prepared to do so. That’s fine,” he later added. “We need the best systems in the hands of warfighters where they need it, to the COCOMs [combatant commanders] to deter and send the signals that when that fight comes, we’re ready to win and win decisively.”
Just how broad this shakeup will be remains to be seen, but a third source that works closely with a broad swath of defense companies said a new look at acquisition is par for the course when a new secretary hits the Pentagon.
“With all new administrations, there is a pretty much ‘stop, relook and clarify priorities period,’” the source said. “And right now there is a sense of urgency with acquisition reform.”
Many of the non-traditional tech companies, the third source said, are ecstatic with the “rumored frenzy” of acquisition change. That could potentially include revamping the DIU and funneling more work its way. As for tech areas ripe for acceleration, that source pointed toward software, autonomous systems and capabilities that do not rely on GPS given the ever increasing threats from electronic warfare.
“They don’t need to recreate the wheel, [but they] need strong leadership with a determined focus,” the source added.
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