Buy the Way We Fight: Policies, Practices, and Partnerships for International Acquisitions

“Buy the Way We Fight” addresses a critical gap in U.S. defense acquisition practices: the lack of international collaboration in developing military technologies and systems. Despite the United States’ long history of fighting alongside allies in coalitions, the defense acquisition workforce often operates in isolation from these partners. This paper argues that this disconnect must change to align acquisition practices with operational realities.

The paper proposes a three-pronged approach to foster international collaboration in defense acquisitions: updating policies to emphasize international cooperation, creating partnerships through new forums for acquisition professionals to connect globally, and establishing practices that normalize international collaboration.