Predator drone maker urges Musk’s DOGE to reform Pentagon contracting system

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, maker of the Predator drone, has urged Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to pursue a Pentagon contracting overhaul. As per the drone maker, the current system is too slow and bureaucratic to be effective against threats from China or Iran.

The letter:

In a letter dated January 24, General Atomics CEO Linden Blue urged Musk of the Department of Government Efficiency to reform the Pentagon’s defense acquisition system.
As per the CEO, a reform to the Pentagon’s defense acquisition system could enhance its efficiency and contribution to national security
Blue highlighted several issues in his letter, such as delays, buck-passing, and self-shackling, which are prevalent in the current system, as noted in a Reuters report.

Reform proposals:

The General Atomics CEO shared some proposals in his letter to Elon Musk.
Among these are time limits on Pentagon milestones, which could pave the way for faster large system acquisitions.
Blue called for increased accountability in the U.S. Foreign Military Sales system as well.
He also called for a reform of the U.S. interpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime so that it is more closely focused on weapons of mass destruction instead of drones.

Musk’s DOGE:

Elon Musk’s DOGE has been very busy after it was formally formed by an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump.
As per Trump’s executive order, DOGE was created to modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.
Musk has pledged that DOGE would see meaningful progress every week.