Pentagon’s top new weapons programs are 12 years behind schedule: Watchdog

The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) 2026 annual report on major defense acquisition programs has found that the Pentagon's top new weapons programs are facing persistent schedule delays, with the overall average time frame to deliver a capability increasing to over 12 years. The report examined 104 of the Pentagon's most expensive weapons programs and noted that several programs have not set new delivery dates or are delaying critical interim milestones, raising questions about how realistic their estimates are. The GAO report focused on delays in middle tier of acquisition (MTA) projects, which are intended to field weapons within five years. It found that many systems are being slotted into the MTA despite having immature technology, with 18 out of 40 programs entering the pathway with immature technologies between 2018 and 2025. Of eight current MTA projects, GAO deemed seven to be technologically immature, including the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile. Specific program issues include a 2.5-year delay for the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aircraft and a lack of a clear acquisition strategy for the DDG(X) destroyer. The Air Force's B-52 radar modernization program is also beset by cost issues. The report noted that while the 2025 study was concerned with rising costs due to inflation, the 2026 analysis revealed a mixed price picture, with 46 of 72 programs reporting increases totaling $122 billion and 16 reporting decreases totaling $47 billion.