US EditionHegseth says he wants the Pentagon to prioritize speed over cost when buying weapons
The Pentagon aims to deliver weapons rapidly with an 85% solution standard, reducing delays and costs to better match modern battlefield needs, officials said.
- On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced at the National War College, Washington, that the Pentagon is revamping acquisitions to prioritize quickly made, deliverable weapons and urged U.S. companies to assume risk.
- Ukraine's battlefield experience shows cheap, mass-produced drones spurred urgency, while longstanding delays like the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle under then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates cost lives.
- Hegseth said an 85% solution is preferable to 100% delays, arguing programs should move from multi-year timelines to one year, with the July memo lifting some drone purchase restrictions.
- The Pentagon will shift away from large contractors toward innovative U.S. companies, but Todd Harrison, defense budget and acquisition expert, American Enterprise Institute warned of risks with less stable suppliers.
- Faster purchasing raises fraud and abuse concerns as some experts say reduced transparency and opaque newer innovative companies increase operational risks.
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The Secretary of the War, Pete Hegseth, has revealed radical changes in the way the Pentagon acquires weapons, allowing the army to acquire faster technology in the context of growing global threats, writes The Guardian. In a speech...
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Pentagon Overhauls Weapons Procurement: Streamlining for Speed
The U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced major reforms to the Pentagon's weapons procurement process to accelerate technology acquisition in response to global threats. This includes creating Portfolio Acquisition Executives and promoting commercial product acquisition, aiming to streamline processes and incentivize early deliveries.
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