The U.S. Department of Defense is overhauling its software acquisition strategy to open the door wider to commercial and nontraditional software providers.
The memo, part of a series of Pentagon directives aimed at transforming how the department acquires both weapons and support systems, calls for the adoption of the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) as the preferred route for all software development components. “It effectively is streamlining the access of those nontraditional commercials so that they can play in the game, that the defense primes are also playing in,” a defense official explained on a call with reporters.
Under the new directive, the DoD will pursue contracting strategies that favor commercial solutions over the traditional hardware-centric and cost-plus contract models. This shift is seen as essential for keeping pace with rapid commercial technology advancements and ensuring faster delivery and iterative improvement of software used in military operations.
Smaller companies, such as Second Front Systems, have made strides in entering Pentagon projects but have long struggled to break through barriers dominated by larger defense primes like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. Tyler Sweatt, CEO of Second Front Systems, told Reuters, “Moving away from building custom software using cost-plus style contracts and towards procuring solutions puts better capabilities in the hands of our warfighters.”
To ensure a swift transition, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, has been tasked with developing an implementation plan within 30 days. The directive reflects the DoD’s commitment to adapting to the reality of software-defined warfare and improving its procurement processes to leverage commercial capabilities effectively.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior ...
A known Islamist suspected of driving a minivan into a crowd near a major LGBTQ Pride gathering in Berlin was shot dead during a police operation at a...
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham "will always put Britain's interests first", he told the BBC in an interview when asked whether he was willi...
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 25th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto recently offered the dismissed Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Mykhailo Federov an adviser role in Italy.
SpaceX successfully launched its Starship megarocket on its 13th flight test Friday, deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites and completing a soft splashdown of the spacecraft in the Indian Ocean.
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Kanishka Narayan as Minister for Artificial Intelligence, making it the first time the role has held cabinet-level status. The move signals a stronger government focus on AI as the UK seeks to strengthen its position in the sector.
Scientists have identified a planetary system in the Milky Way unlike anything seen before, leaving astronomers debating how to classify one of its unusual worlds. The discovery challenges long-held definitions of planets, moons and stars.
A U.S. federal judge has approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement with authors and publishers over the company's acquisition and use of pirated books to train its Claude artificial intelligence chatbot, marking the first major resolution in the growing wave of AI copyright litigation.
More than 1,100 companies are presenting their latest artificial intelligence technologies at the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, where innovation, international cooperation and AI governance are taking centre stage.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment