Acquisition Transformation: How to Make it Last

A proposed defense acquisition transformation emphasizes speed, commercial solutions, and a portfolio-based approach to military capability. The success of this reform hinges on overhauling the Pentagon's budgeting and appropriations process to align with the new, more flexible strategy. This requires collapsing thousands of rigid, program-specific budget lines into broader mission portfolios to allow for greater agility. This fundamental change creates friction with Congress's constitutional oversight role, necessitating new accountability metrics and increased transparency to build trust and secure the necessary legislative action for the transformation to succeed.