A second B-21 Raider, the nation’s sixth-generation stealth bomber, joins flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 11. (Courtesy photo)
WASHINGTON — US troops could receive new weapons and tech with “undocumented shortfalls” after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reshaped a key Pentagon testing office last year by cutting nearly 100 civilian posts and leaving more work those who remain, according to a new government watchdog report.
“The staff reductions since May 2025 constrain the depth and breadth of oversight that DOT&E [Director, Operational Test and Evaluation] can provide for DOD’s weapon systems,” said a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released today.
“This includes oversight of major defense acquisition programs and others, such as middle tier of acquisition programs—a growing area within DOD,” the GAO said, referencing the Pentagon’s streamlined framework to rapidly develop and field new capabilities by bypassing traditional acquisition processes.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Breaking Defense’s questions about today’s report.
