War Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the launch of the Business Operators for National Defense, or BOND, initiative that seeks to embed private sector executives into the Department of War’s acquisition enterprise to accelerate reform and speed up the delivery of new capabilities to U.S. warfighters.
In a video recording posted on X Friday, Hegseth, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, said the initiative supports the department’s broader “Arsenal of Freedom” effort and aims to address longstanding inefficiencies in the Pentagon’s acquisition system.
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What Is the DOW BOND Program?
The BOND program aims to integrate senior private-sector leaders directly into the defense acquisition process. According to Hegseth, participants include executives from major U.S. companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, Ford and Tesla.
The secretary said that over the past 60 days, the program has engaged more than 100 industry experts, including 72 former CEOs, chief operating officers and chief information officers who are currently serving alongside the department’s leaders.
Deputy Secretary of War Steve Feinberg is leading the initiative. Hegseth stated that Feinberg and his team are working to integrate private-sector expertise into acquisition, production and supply chain management functions across the department.
“Working side-by-side with teams in research and engineering, acquisition and sustainment, personnel and readiness, the chief information officer, and the comptroller, our existing BOND executives are driving major reforms,” the DOW secretary added.
Hegseth said the department has set a goal of onboarding 250 industry executives into the program.
What Did Pete Hegseth Say About the 1st BOND Conference?
According to Hegseth, the department plans to host its first official BOND conference in February. He noted that the conference will welcome new members, provide strategic context for their work and assign them to specific tasks based on their skill sets.
Hegseth concluded his remarks by inviting additional industry leaders to participate in the program, stating that the department seeks “world-class talent” to support mission success and equip U.S. service members with a decisive advantage.
The launch of the BOND program came three months after Hegseth unveiled sweeping reforms to the department’s weapons acquisition system.
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