Defense Undersecretary Michael Griffin Criticizes Defense Industry for Being ‘Mired in Process’

Michael Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, recently criticized the defense industry for being “mired in process” just like the government, Space News reported Sunday.

Speaking to contractors at last week’s Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Ala., Griffin called out his audience for practices that bog down procurement, recommending that such excess processes be shortened if not removed altogether.

“[Each] of you at every single level have to look at what you are doing and weed out that which you do not need to do and weed out the people who do not need to be consulted,” Griffin said.

Griffin pointed to China as a study in contrast, attributing the country’s ability to develop hypersonic weapons to speedy decision-making.

“What are they doing differently? They are not doing a lot of things that clearly do not need to be done,” Griffin remarked.

The undersecretary went on to advise his listeners “to identify … the key decision makers, the chains of command and empower them to decide quickly.”