The U.S. Army is launching sweeping reforms on how it buys weapons and other capabilities, aiming to shorten procurement timelines and spur innovation, the service announced Friday.
The overhaul will consolidate the service’s existing program executive offices into six new organizations known as portfolio acquisition executives (PAEs).
According to the service, the new structure is intended to streamline decision-making by replacing the current decentralized approach, which divides responsibilities across multiple offices.
“Under the current fragmented process, accountability is distributed across multiple organizations and functions, creating misalignment between critical stakeholders,” Brent Ingraham, the assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology; and Army Acquisition Executive, said in a statement. “Aligning this reform with operational concepts better postures the Army to deliver capabilities our Soldiers need without delay.”
Each PAE will oversee a major capability area including fires, ground and air maneuver, command and control, sustainment and ammunition, and layered protection. PAEs will be accountable for all aspects of that capability area, including requirements, science and technology, contracting, acquisition, testing, programming, sustainment, and international sales.
The reorganization follows a Nov. 7 announcement by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to revamp acquisition practices across the Pentagon, in addition to an earlier directive directing the Army to consolidate procurement functions.
The Army gradually began implementing the PAE model in October and expects to reach initial operating capability in January 2026. The PAEs will report to both the Army’s new Transformation and Training Command for requirements, and to the assistant secretary for acquisition for materiel development.
Each PAE will include an embedded senior contracting official with authority to award contracts more quickly, which is part of a broader effort to reduce bottlenecks. The service also plans to continue using flexible contracting tools, such as Other Transaction Authorities, to speed work with industry.
Gen. David Hodne, who leads the Transformation and Training Command, said the changes are meant to match the pace of rapid technological shifts.
“Incremental change is not sufficient,” he said.
The initiative also adds a new office, the Pathway for Innovation and Technology, which will report directly to Army acquisition leadership. The office aims to accelerate early-stage technologies from concept to fielding through broader scouting, targeted experimentation, and closer coordination with soldiers.
“Adopting a venture capitalist mindset, the PIT focuses on broad technology scouting, calculated risk-taking, and scaling the most promising solutions to meet critical Army priorities,” Ingraham said.