Michael P. Duffey sworn in as US Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment

Michael P. Duffey has officially taken office as the United States Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment, following swift confirmation by the Senate. He now assumes responsibility for overseeing the Department of Defence’s extensive procurement, sustainment, and industrial base operations.

The oath of office was administered by Deputy Defence Secretary Steve Feinberg during a brief ceremony at the Pentagon shortly after confirmation.

In his new role, Duffey will manage procurement activities valued at over $300 billion annually, along with policies related to contracting, logistics, infrastructure, energy resilience, and the nuclear enterprise. He will also lead a workforce of approximately 190,000 military and civilian acquisition professionals.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Duffey as “a proven reformer who knows how to translate strategy into the tools our forces need in the field,” in a statement following the swearing-in.

While Duffey reserved his remarks at the ceremony for expressions of gratitude to his family and colleagues, he had already outlined his policy priorities during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing held on 27 March 2025.

Speaking to lawmakers, he underscored the importance of maintaining a military force structure capable of deterring—and if necessary, defeating—potential adversaries. He stressed the need for modernising the integration of departmental requirements, budgeting, and acquisition processes, calling for aligned incentives that yield measurable results.

Duffey also warned that industrial production could prove as decisive in future conflicts as battlefield performance. “Future conflicts will be won on the factory floor as much as on the field of battle,” he said, adding that the side capable of swiftly replenishing lost equipment would gain a significant advantage.

He further emphasised the necessity of outpacing adversaries by equipping the joint force with decisive capability and maintaining an industrial base agile enough to sustain operations as needed.

Among his initial objectives, Duffey aims to enhance alignment between military service requirements and congressional appropriations, accelerate rapid deployment of emerging technologies, and implement data-driven performance metrics to keep defence programmes within budget and on schedule.