Ellen Lord: DOD Highly Prioritizes Hypersonics, Counter-Hypersonics

The Department of Defense considers hypersonics and counter-hypersonics among its top technical modernization priorities, according to Ellen Lord, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. 

"We are continuing on an accelerated path to develop and field land-, sea- and air-launched hypersonic weapons, as well as developing options for defense against adversary hypersonic missile capabilities so as to ensure our continued ability to dominate the battlefield for decades to come," she said.

Lord, a four-time Wash100 awardee and a speaker at the Potomac Officer's Club 5G Summit, said the department's acquisition and sustainment goals and priorities are in line with the National Defense Strategy, the DOD said.

The NDS' three lines of effort are restoring military readiness while building a more lethal force, strengthening alliances and partnerships and bringing business reform to the DOD. 

The undersecretary said the goal is to allow the delivery and sustainment of reliable capabilities to both U.S. soldiers and international partners in a quick and cost-effective manner. 

"I am committed to evolving our acquisition and program expertise to ensure that business execution issues do not hinder our ability to prototype, demonstrate, test and field warfighting capability — especially hypersonics," Lord said. 

She laid out six goals acquisition and sustainment goals related to the Pentagon's hypersonic efforts. One is to adopt an acquisition approach that delivers capabilities at the speed of relevance. 

Another goal is to ensure the security and robustness of the defense industrial base. "Hypersonics are critical to our national security; we cannot allow our DIB to be compromised," Lord said.

The other goals involve improving international relations, recruiting a diverse workforce, reducing weapons' operating costs and ensuring safe and resilient military installations.