Overview
- Air & Space Forces Magazine obtained a Pentagon draft memo that proposes sweeping changes to speed delivery of weapons and systems by reshaping how programs are managed and sourced.
- The document blames slow fielding on gaps in leadership accountability, misaligned industry incentives, and reluctance to leverage private investment.
- Services would replace siloed program executive offices with portfolio acquisition executives who manage by mission, use schedule-focused scorecards, and hold direct authority to shift resources.
- The memo calls for a commercial-first approach using tools like commercial solutions openings and other transaction authority, plus an Economic Defense Unit to apply commercial contract practices and support investment programs.
- Proposals include a two-to-production sourcing standard, scalable production that separates design from manufacturing, accredited test pipelines for continuous updates, and endorsement of PPBE Commission budgeting reforms, while the Pentagon declined comment and no policy has been announced ahead of a Nov. 7 Hegseth speech.