Air Force acquisition shakeup explained + highlights from Surface Navy Association 2026

Описание: The US Air Force is reshaping how it buys weapons and technology, rolling out acquisition reforms spurred by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon-wide push to move faster and cut bureaucracy. On this episode of The Weekly Break Out, Breaking Defense’s Lee Ferran and Michael Marrow explain the shift from program executive officers to portfolio acquisition executives and why it matters for industry and airmen alike.

Then, we head to the show floor at the Surface Navy Association’s 2026 annual conference in the Washington, DC area. From HII’s Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer and RTX’s SPY-6 radar to autonomous Saildrone systems, expeditionary fast transports and the Navy’s SM-2 missile, we break down the platforms and capabilities drawing attention across the surface fleet. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS.

Stories:
How the Air Force is revamping its acquisition shop with new portfolios https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/h...

No longer ‘experimental’: Navy to deploy drone boats this year, official says https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/n...

First Trump-class battleship could cost over $20 billion: CBO https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/f...

Coast Guard sets deadline to spend $25B in reconciliation funds by 2027 https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/c...

Navy chief calls for defense spending to hit ‘new normal’ of 4% GDP https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/n...

Choices for next destroyer paved way for Navy’s new battleship program https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/c...

0:49 – PEOs become PAEs: what’s changing
1:25 – The five Air Force portfolios (and two for Space Force)
2:13 – New authorities and faster decision-making
2:52 – Why speeding up acquisition matters
3:11 – On the show floor at SNA 2026
4:03 – HII’s Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and RTX SPY-6 radar
4:39 – Saildrone, autonomy and Lockheed Martin’s investment
5:47 – Austal expeditionary fast transport and hospital ship
6:17 – RTX SM-2 missile and Red Sea combat use
6:49 – Closing thoughts