Trump’s nominee for Army secretary calls for buying more commercial off-the-shelf tech
Daniel Driscoll, nominee to lead the Army during President Donald Trump’s second term, told lawmakers that the service should purchase more non-developmental solutions for drones and other technologies to help speed the delivery of new capabilities to soldiers.
The commander-in-chief has said he expects Driscoll to be a “disruptor and change agent” at the Pentagon as secretary of the Army.
In a list of advance policy questions from senators ahead of his confirmation hearing Thursday, the nominee was asked if he believes the Army should exploit commercial off-the-shelf solutions to meet its requirements.
“Wherever possible, and as required by Federal Acquisition Regulations, the Army should purchase non-development and COTS solutions to meet requirements. Some capabilities require the Army to undertake independent development, but many of the Army’s most pressing needs: small-unmanned aerial systems, counter-unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare systems, and communications gear have already been developed,” Driscoll wrote in his responses.
He noted that he’s worried about the ability of the U.S. industrial base to provide sufficient military stocks to fully support American warfighters.
“Additionally, our technological edge is shrinking. The Army needs to accelerate its modernization and better prepare our forces for the advances in drone and autonomous warfare the world has witnessed in Ukraine,” he wrote.
Driscoll suggested that the service’s test-and-evaluation requirements for non-developmental items would depend on the operational need and the urgency of the capabilities.
“Some commercial products and non-development items should move immediately into the field without testing or with minimal testing because the Army currently has no existing capability. In other situations, the Army can thoroughly test non-developmental and commercial items because the operational need is less dire,” he told lawmakers.
He noted that if confirmed, he will evaluate the service’s ability to test and evaluate software and other tools that require “rapid transition.”
Driscoll, an Army veteran, was recently a senior adviser to JD Vance, who’s now serving as Trump’s vice president. He also worked in venture capital and private equity.
“As a former Soldier, Investor, and Political Advisor, Dan brings a powerful combination of experiences to serve as a disruptor and change agent. Dan graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in three years to join the fight with the U.S. Army. After completing U.S. Army Ranger school, Dan deployed with the 10th Mountain Division as a Cavalry Scout Platoon Leader in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post in December. “Dan will be a fearless and relentless fighter for America’s Soldiers and the America First agenda.”
A full Senate confirmation vote for Driscoll hasn’t been scheduled, but he’s expected to get the thumbs up from lawmakers.
Meanwhile, Trump has nominated John Phelan, a businessman and co-founder of MSD Capital, to be secretary of the Navy and Troy Meink, a senior leader at the National Reconnaissance Office to serve as secretary of the Air Force. Their confirmation hearings haven’t been scheduled.
