Goodbye, lengthy software processes. The Pentagon wants secure code — and it wants it fast.
On April 24, Katie Arrington, performing the duties of Defense Department chief information officer, signed a memo that launches the Software Fast Track, or SWFT, Initiative. The goal is to radically speed up how DOD acquires, tests and approves secure software.
This effort supports Secretary Pete Hegseth’s March directive to modernize software acquisition and maximize lethality. For years, DOD has relied on outdated procurement models with minimal supply chain visibility. SWFT aims to fix that.
“It is absolutely mission one that we arm our warfighters with the best cutting-edge weapons available, but we don’t need duplicative and wasteful processes to do that,” according to the memo. “This is just one example of how we are going to deliver on the President’s promise to rebuild the military and restore the Warrior Ethos throughout the Department.”
The initiative kicks off with a 90-day sprint. During that time, the Office of the CIO will work across the department to deliver a plan with clear:
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Cybersecurity and supply chain risk requirements
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Software security verification standards
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Secure information-sharing methods
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Government-led processes for faster cybersecurity authorizations
DOD also released three Requests for Information to gather private-sector input on accelerating secure software delivery. The goal is to cut redundancy and waste without compromising on speed or security.