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Topic: Military Administration Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Americas Tags: Bureaucracy, Defense Contracting, Department of Defense (DoD), North America, Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, United States, and US Air Force From Paperwork to Power: Trump’s Warfighting Pentagon Takes Shape January 18, 2026 By: Brandon J. Weichert
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has empowered “Portfolio Acquisition Executives” in the Air Force to make quick contracting decisions, end-running the Pentagon’s mountains of bureaucracy.
The Trump administration has been dedicated to upgrading America’s broken defense acquisitions system and streamlining the entire process of acquiring new weapons and platforms to ensure the United States Armed Forces are more fully ready for a major conflict.
Thus, the Department of the Air Force has designated its first cohort of what are known as “Portfolio Acquisition Executives,” according to online trade publication Defense News.
The New Pentagon: Fewer Rules, More Power
Defense News goes on to detail how these new Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) will replace or consolidate the traditional Program Executive Officer (PEO) in the Pentagon’s sclerotic acquisitions program.
Under the new system, the Air Force PAEs will manage a complex portfolio including the development of fighters and advanced aircraft, command, control, communications, and battle management systems (C3BM) as well as nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) functions. They’ll also be tasked with overseeing the development of propulsion systems and weapons platforms.
Meanwhile, the Space Force PAEs (remember the Space Force operates under the Department of the Air Force in the same way that the US Marine Corps operates under the Department of the Navy), will cover space access and space-based sensing and targeting.
Why the Air Force and Space Force PAEs Are the Test Cases
In both the Air Force and Space Force, the idea is that PAEs will have increased authority to balance cost, schedule, and performance, with fewer bureaucratic constraints.
Because Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s reforms are slashing through red tape, such a policy will either succeed because of the greater responsibility that PAEs have…or it will be a disaster because the system will fight back in some way.
In fact, the changes underway in the Department of the Air Force are part of a much larger, longer-term project. The Trump administration wants to fundamentally transform the way all military bureaucracies acquire the things they need to maintain readiness.
Per Hegseth, the administration wants to shift acquisition from a compliance-focused system to a warfighting acquisitions system. And as the world speeds toward what looks like another major geopolitical crisis, having a military that has the right equipment—at the right cost—seems like a good idea.
Shorter Decision Chains Means Deadlier (and Faster) Weapons
The secretary of defense rightly wants to break apart the old mentality in the Pentagon which viewed acquisitions as just another administrative function. For Hegseth and Trump, getting acquisitions right means winning future wars.
In that sense, acquisitions is a warfighting activity, not just another academic exercise undertaken by a fickle bureaucrat. Hegseth’s reforms will also give leaders on the ground in any combat situation more operational authority to complete their mission.
Relatedly, Hegseth believes that this will shorten decision chains and, therefore, accelerate the delivery times of new weapons.
The Air Force believes that Hegseth’s changes will, among other things, give greater empowerment to the beleaguered Pentagon acquisitions workforce. It’d strengthen partnerships with industry. More importantly, the new plans would give smaller startups a real chance at gaining access to the otherwise hermetically sealed defense program.
While the program reforms are definitely interested in acquiring technology faster than they can under current acquisitions guidelines, this is not just about purchasing equipment quicker. No, this is about ensuring that creativity, time-efficiency, and innovation are all part of the Pentagon’s new acquisition culture.
The Future of American Power Runs Through Acquisition
Defense News reports that the Space Force is applying the same construct to ensure they maintain their own cutting-edge capabilities, notably in the space-based sensing and launch access domains.
The Air Force is responding to Hegseth’s mandate by totally reorganizing the Defense Department’s turgid acquisition system. A key component of that reorganization is about creating mission portfolios that will give leaders more authority and responsibility to deliver systems faster and more efficiently.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest. Recently, Weichert became the host of The National Security Hour on America Outloud News and iHeartRadio, where he discusses national security policy every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern. Weichert hosts a companion book talk series on Rumble entitled “National Security Talk.” He is also a contributor at Popular Mechanics and has consulted regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including The Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, and the Asia Times. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Philip Yabut.
The post From Paperwork to Power: Trump’s Warfighting Pentagon Takes Shape appeared first on The National Interest.
Источник: nationalinterest.org