The White House has issued a Presidential directive aimed at modernizing the United States' defense acquisitions and revitalizing the defense industrial base to increase the speed and flexibility of military procurement. According to the order, the President is focused on ensuring that "America’s defense industrial base is central to the effort" of maintaining the world's most lethal warfighting capabilities.
The directive indicates that the current system is hindered by past mismanagement and priorities that do not support the needed agile and effective system for the nation's armed forces. The intention is to "deliver state‐of‐the‐art capabilities at speed and scale," outlining comprehensive changes needed in the acquisition processes.
The policy, as stated in the order, is "to accelerate defense procurement and revitalize the defense industrial base to restore peace through strength." The United States aims to reform old acquisition processes to emphasize speed, flexibility, and execution, involving incentivizing innovation and risk-taking.
Key elements of the reform involve the Secretary of Defense submitting, within 60 days, a plan to reform the Department of Defense’s acquisition processes. This plan will shift towards commercial solutions, streamline acquisition under the "Adaptive Acquisition Framework," and eliminate unnecessary tasks and duplicative approvals among the acquisition workforce.
In addition, the Secretary of Defense is directed to review internal regulations to eliminate or revise supplemental regulations. A ten-for-one rule from Executive Order 14192 will be applied, aimed at reducing unnecessary regulations while expediting acquisitions.
The directive includes restructuring the military acquisition workforce within 120 days, incorporating modern metrics that encourage commercial solutions and innovative pathways. Furthermore, hands-on guidance and training teams will be established to support these initiatives.
A "comprehensive review of all major defense acquisition programs" will be completed within 90 days. Programs found to be significantly delayed, over budget, or misaligned will be considered for potential cancellation, with assessments provided to the Office of Management and Budget.
The order also mandates a review of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System within 180 days to further enhance acquisition acceleration.
The details within the directive aim to implement reforms consistent with existing laws and regulations, without creating legal rights enforceable by any party against the government.
The measures detailed in the order reflect a broad effort by the administration to modernize and enhance the efficiency of defense acquisitions and capabilities in the face of existing and future challenges.
