Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is poised to announce sweeping Pentagon acquisition reforms that could fundamentally reshape how America arms itself and its allies while raising serious questions about defense industry influence over national security priorities.
Story Overview
- Hegseth will unveil major Pentagon weapons acquisition reforms on November 7, 2025, at National Defense University
- Key change transfers Defense Security Cooperation Agency from policy office to acquisition office, integrating foreign arms sales
- Reforms shift to portfolio-based acquisition system to accelerate technology delivery and cut bureaucratic delays
- Critics warn changes could blur public-private boundaries and prioritize export profits over U.S. military readiness
Pentagon Restructures Arms Sales Authority
Hegseth’s reforms center on transferring the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign military sales, from the Pentagon’s policy office to its acquisition office. This organizational shift aims to integrate international arms sales directly into the weapons procurement process, potentially accelerating delivery of advanced systems to allied nations. The move represents a fundamental change in how the Pentagon balances domestic military needs with foreign sales priorities.
Portfolio-Based Acquisition Replaces Traditional Program Management
The new acquisition structure will abandon traditional program-by-program management in favor of portfolio-based oversight, modeled after the Space Force’s pilot program. Pentagon acquisition executives will manage entire technology portfolios rather than individual weapons systems, theoretically providing greater flexibility and transparency. This approach seeks to overcome decades of bureaucratic delays that have plagued major defense programs, from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship.
Defense Industry Gains Enhanced Pentagon Access
The reforms establish closer collaboration between Pentagon officials and defense contractors, raising concerns among experts about excessive industry influence over national security decisions. Critics warn this could “further blur the already fuzzy public/private line between the government and the defense industry.” Major contractors like Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Boeing stand to benefit from streamlined sales processes and reduced bureaucratic barriers to both domestic and international markets.
Congressional Oversight Questions Emerge
While Congress has advocated for acquisition reform and proposed repealing portions of federal acquisition law, lawmakers retain oversight authority over these sweeping changes. The reforms raise fundamental questions about whether the Pentagon will prioritize U.S. military readiness or shift focus toward export competitiveness to benefit defense contractors. Past acquisition reform attempts, including the Goldwater-Nichols Act, have yielded mixed results due to entrenched bureaucratic resistance and competing priorities within the defense establishment.
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