Things will be different in this CSAR-X go-around (see above), the Air Force’s senior acquisition official Sue Payton said Thursday. She told Pentagon reporters: “I’m very pleased that we have great support from the Army and the Navy. They will be helping us with the source selection.” This appears to be a growing trend. Payton likened the assist from other service acquisition personnel to the Army-Air Force work on the Joint Cargo Aircraft program and other work the Air Force has done on Navy acquisition efforts. “We’re doing some cross-fertilization here,” Payton said, adding that the Navy and Army have excellent domain knowledge on helicopters, so will be able to leverage that in the selection process.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
