The United States Department of Defence must adopt a modern approach to software acquisition to maintain technological and operational superiority against increasingly agile and innovative adversaries. If the Pentagon fails to speed up the development and delivery of digital solutions, it risks being overtaken by those better able to exploit rapid technological developments.
Current DOD leadership recognises that old bureaucratic processes have slowed the delivery of advanced software to operational forces, making critical systems vulnerable and less responsive than those of rivals. To reverse this trend, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth signed, on 6 March 2025, the memorandum "Directing Modern Software Acquisition to Maximise Lethality".with the stated aim of maximising the lethality and readiness of the armed forces.
"Software is at the heart of every weapon and support system we field to remain the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world.", wrote Hegseth.
A New Way to Acquisition: Speed and Flexibility
The memorandum requires the mandatory adoption of the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP)an acquisition path designed to align with the pace of modern software development. In addition, the Department will use more streamlined contractual tools, such as the Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO) and the Other Transactions (OT)to circumvent the rigidities of traditional methods and collaborate with unconventional suppliers.
Unlike traditional acquisition processes, which focus on hardware and strict deadlines, the Software Acquisition Pathway aims to develop and deliver Minimum Viable Products (MVP) in less than a year from the availability of funds. The CSO and the OT They also shorten the time required for requirements definition and contracting, offering the Department of Defence the ability to rapidly prototype and deploy solutions directly on the battlefield, anticipating the moves of adversaries.
The model breaks with the past, where a single vendor often dominated the supply of systems, slowing the adoption of new technologies. The new approach favours competition, experimentation and rapid scalability, essential elements to adapt faster than the enemy.
The Defence Innovation Unit: Concrete Proof of Success
The Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) is already a practical demonstration of this strategy. Since 2016, the DIU has awarded more than 500 contracts through the process CSOof which the 88% to non-traditional suppliers from the commercial sector. A successful example is the Replicatorwhich turned an operational request into a contract awarded in just 110 days-a much higher rate than traditional acquisition cycles.
30 Days to Act: A Lightning-Fast Implementation
The memorandum stipulates that the Department of Defence must prepare an implementation plan by 30 days. This short timeframe reflects Hegseth's perceived urgency. According to a senior department official, the aim is to reduce the time between the allocation of funds and the delivery of a functioning product to less than a year. However, it was also emphasised that much remains to be done to spread these tools uniformly throughout the organisation.
Two priorities have been identified: train staff e widen access companies in the private sector. According to another official, the Department of Defence is already directly involving its operators in commercial acquisition programmes, providing hands-on experience side-by-side with innovation teams. This immersive approach is seen as key to quickly bridging the skills gap.
"We can expose software programmes to non-traditional and commercial developers, lowering the barriers to entry for these players in the defence ecosystem", said the official.
Security at the Centre of Digital Transformation
Despite the speed of the new model, security remains a priority. The Department of Defence is integrating the cybersecurity directly into the software development and delivery pipeline, ensuring that all solutions meet stringent security standards without slowing progress.
According to the Department's leaders, the new reform is not just about speeding up the process, but aims to strengthen the decision-making and operational capability of frontline forces. If the Pentagon fails to overcome the old paradigm, too hardware-centric, "it will be the warfighters who will pay the price"., warned Hegseth.
From autonomous systems to real-time intelligence solutions, modern software, rapidly developed and deployed, ensures better decisions, more effective defences and a decisive advantage in the most complex operational contexts.
"Software-defined warfare is not a futuristic concept, but the reality in which we already operate today.", said a Defence Department official.
With the obligation to adopt the SWP, the CSO and the OT, the Pentagon is determined to turn digital innovation into a tangible operational advantage by delivering lethality at the speed of innovation.
