• The US military departments have replaced program executive officers with Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs).
• PAEs have the power to launch sustainable reform in defense acquisition.
• Two crucial steps are needed: providing top cover for contracting officers and refocusing performance metrics.
• Section 1802 of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act grants PAEs the authority to make these changes.

The success of the new PAE structure may indicate a shift in defense acquisition priorities, with a focus on mission outcomes rather than procedural compliance. This could lead to more efficient and effective procurement processes, but it requires PAEs to take bold action and provide top cover for contracting officers, which suggests a significant cultural change within the defense acquisition community.