Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is preparing to announce a sweeping reorganization of the Pentagon’s foreign arms sales process aimed at speeding weapons deliveries to allies and coordinating production more closely with U.S. defense contractors, Politico reported Wednesday, citing several people familiar with the plans.
The announcement, expected Nov. 7 at a gathering of defense industry leaders, would move the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign military sales, from the Pentagon’s policy branch to its acquisition and sustainment division, the office responsible for managing the military’s roughly $400 billion procurement portfolio. The goal is to reduce red tape and align the agencies that build U.S. weapons with those that sell them abroad.
The move follows President Donald Trump’s executive orders earlier this year calling for faster defense procurement and arms export reforms. The nearly four-year war in Ukraine has intensified pressure from allies seeking to replenish depleted stockpiles more quickly, with some turning to suppliers in South Korea and elsewhere who can deliver weapons faster than the U.S.
Hegseth, who has faced calls from NATO partners to accelerate the process, has said the U.S. is committed to ensuring “our allies get what they need when they need it.” Defense industry groups have also urged the Pentagon to streamline approvals, arguing that the current system slows production and weakens U.S. competitiveness.
As part of the same initiative, Hegseth is expected to restructure the Army’s 13 program executive offices, which oversee procurement of major weapons systems, into broader portfolios led by senior officials who report directly to top Army leadership. Similar adjustments are expected later in the Navy and Air Force.
The changes are intended to improve decision-making and cut delays in acquiring and exporting weapons. One industry source cited by Politico described the reform effort simply: “This is about speed.”