Overview
- Driscoll said the Army will consolidate and streamline its acquisition enterprise into a single organization reporting to senior leadership, with tight deadlines and a focus on rapid iteration from small pilot buys to larger fielding.
- FUZE is underway with $750 million in 2025 and $765 million planned for 2026, consolidating xTech, SBIR, Technology Transfer and other efforts into one framework that aims to place first-time firms on contract in about 70 days and repeat vendors in roughly 10.
- The first FUZE competition, xTechDisrupt powered by Y Combinator, launched at AUSA to pitch, fund and sprint minimally viable products to soldiers within weeks.
- Driscoll pledged to reduce reliance on prime contractors and expand right-to-repair and organic manufacturing, citing 3D-printed Black Hawk parts that cost far less and arrive faster than OEM replacements.
- Detailed restructuring steps are slated for release within weeks as the Army engages industry and Congress, with leadership also exploring ways to augment resources through private investment.