Pentagon chief unveils overhaul of US defense acquisition, arms transfer process

WASHINGTON

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced major reforms Friday to the defense acquisition and arms transfer process, outlining changes intended to accelerate weapons production, strengthen industry readiness and ensure US forces can adapt more rapidly to emerging global threats.

Speaking at the National War College in Washington, DC, Hegseth said the reforms, many of which are already underway, will drive five broad transformations across the defense establishment.

He said the new measures aim to inspire American industry to operate as a wartime industrial base, emphasizing speed and volume through reliable demand and adaptable business practices that welcome established defense partners and new entrants.

The second goal, he said, is to “unleash the defense industrial and government workforces” by rewarding progress over process. The third is to streamline acquisition systems to favor speed, flexibility and efficiency.

Hegseth added that the Pentagon will also champion technical excellence and accept higher levels of calculated risk to accelerate innovation and production, while the fifth transformation seeks to establish “war speed,” or “warp speed,” as the norm for procurement and sustainment.

"So, in short, those are broad principles. We mean to increase acquisition risk in order to decrease operational risk. ... By taking greater calculated risk and how we build, buy and maintain our systems, we will gain speed to more quickly provide capabilities to the battlefield," he said.

Hegseth said the new approach will build a dynamic and responsive defense system capable of adapting to evolving threats and integrating new technologies more rapidly.

"We’re ensuring that future generations of warfighters have the tools and the capabilities to defend our nation," he said.

"The War Department will be ready when the time comes. We will have, and we will be, the arsenal for freedom. The world is watching. Our adversaries are watching. Our allies are watching. We must show them that America is back, stronger and more determined than ever to defend our interests and uphold freedom."