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ARTICLE · 13 NOVEMBER 2025

Defense Acquisition System Reforms: Legal Implications For Industry

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On November 7, 2025, Secretary Pete Hegseth announced sweeping defense acquisition reforms that aim to accelerate delivery of capabilities and inject flexibility into the defense procurement process

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Erik F. Swabb
Erik F. Swabb
Matthew G. Olsen
Matthew G. Olsen
Barry Hurewitz
Barry Hurewitz
Joshua A. Geltzer
Joshua A. Geltzer
Leslie A. Harrelson
Leslie A. Harrelson
Susan J. Hennessey
Susan J. Hennessey
Jessica Shelnutt
Jessica Shelnutt
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On November 7, 2025, Secretary Pete Hegseth announced sweeping defense acquisition reforms that aim to accelerate delivery of capabilities and inject flexibility into the defense procurement process.1 In a speech to defense and technology industry executives, Secretary Hegseth declared the Defense Acquisition System "dead" and announced a new Warfighting Acquisition System. Following the remarks, the Department of Defense/War (the Department or Pentagon) released the Acquisition Transformation Strategy2 together with other directives (1) implementing the Warfighting Acquisition System transformation,3 (2) modernizing foreign military sales and direct commercial sales,4 and (3) reforming the Joint Requirements Process.5

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