Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has declared a fundamental overhaul of how the Pentagon purchases military equipment, prioritising delivery speed over cost and perfection in a significant shift for American defence procurement.
Wartime Footing Drives Acquisition Reform
Speaking to military leaders and defence contractors in Washington on Friday 7th November 2025, Hegseth outlined his vision for transforming what he described as a sluggish acquisition system. The defence secretary emphasised that the new approach would operate on a "wartime footing", rapidly accelerating how capabilities reach armed forces personnel.
"The objective is simple: transform the entire acquisition system to operate on a wartime footing, to rapidly accelerate the fielding of capabilities and focus on results," Hegseth stated during his address at the National War College, which extended for over an hour.
From Perfect Solutions to Rapid Deployment
Hegseth argued forcefully for moving away from traditional processes that prioritised delivering ideal but often expensive and delayed products. Instead, he championed accepting less-than-perfect solutions that can reach troops substantially faster.
"An 85% solution in the hands of our armed forces today is infinitely better than an unachievable 100% solution... endlessly undergoing testing or awaiting additional technological development," he asserted. Hegseth claimed that processes previously taking several years could now be completed within one under the new approach.
The defence secretary acknowledged the technical nature of his speech, remarking that "If folks are watching this on Fox, their eyes are rolling over."
Ukraine Conflict Influences Pentagon Thinking
The strategic shift comes as observers analyse Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, where an underfunded Ukrainian military has effectively used inexpensive, mass-produced drones against Moscow's technologically superior forces equipped with advanced missiles and hundreds of tanks.
Hegseth had previously highlighted the significance of drone warfare in a July memo, noting that "drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation" while criticising previous administration restrictions. That earlier memo had already lifted some Pentagon constraints on drone purchases.
Expert Warnings and Historical Precedents
Defence acquisition expert Todd Harrison from the American Enterprise Institute acknowledged the significance of Hegseth's proposed changes but sounded cautionary notes. Harrison warned that if contractors aren't properly incentivised to meet military requirements, "they may deliver something faster, but it may not do what you want it to do."
The US military's weapons procurement system has faced decades of criticism, with the poorly armoured vehicles during Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts serving as a prominent example of procurement failure. Then-Defence Secretary Robert Gates had successfully accelerated development of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs) in under a year – an effort Hegseth specifically praised, noting that "the entire process must move at the speed of... the MRAP."
More recent Pentagon initiatives to rapidly address potential Chinese threats to Taiwan or develop drone swarms have yielded mixed outcomes, according to defence analysts.
Contractor Landscape Faces Reshuffle
Hegseth also indicated changes for defence contractors, stating that companies must "assume risk to partner with the United States." He took direct aim at major defence contractors, suggesting the Pentagon would move beyond traditional limited competition systems to "harness more of America's innovative companies."
Harrison highlighted the risks inherent in shifting away from established contractors, noting their deep expertise and public company status provides transparency into "their liquidity, the stability of their company, their board." He expressed concerns that newer companies offer "very little visibility inside how the company works, who owns what, how they make decisions – it's all very opaque," creating potential for increased fraud and abuse.
The defence secretary's announcement marks one of the most substantial proposed overhauls of Pentagon acquisition processes in recent years, potentially reshaping how the American military equips itself for contemporary and future conflicts.
