Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a Tuesday memo that reductions to the Pentagon’s test and evaluation office support the department’s “America First” strategy. (SrA. Madelyn Keech/DOD)

The Pentagon is slashing the size of its operational test and evaluation organization and appointing a new interim director as part of a broader restructuring, according to a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

In the document, released publicly today, Hegseth said the move to restructure the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, or ODOT&E, supports the Pentagon’s “America First” defense strategy. The memo would reduce its staff to 30 civilians, 15 military personnel and one senior leader.

“A comprehensive internal review has identified redundant, non-essential, non-statutory functions within ODOT&E that do not support operational agility or resource efficiency, affecting our ability to rapidly and effectively deploy the best systems to the warfighter,” Hegseth said.

The reduction would amounts to a more than 50% cut to the office, a defense official told Defense News. Prior to the reorganization order, the office was staffed with 94 personnel — 82 civilians and 12 military members. The department estimates the changes will save more than $300 million annually.

The Pentagon’s test and evaluation office oversees the process for validating weapons and platforms across the Defense Department. While the military services have their own test teams, the DOD-level office sets policies, provides oversight for major programs and serves as an adviser to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, among other responsibilities.

One of the office’s more public-facing tasks is publishing an annual testing update on the department’s major weapon systems, including the F-35 fighter jet, the Navy’s Columbia-class submarine and the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon. The report also assesses the health of the test and evaluation enterprise, including its equipment, ranges and other testing facilities. The most recent report was released in January.

In a statement Wednesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, said the cuts to the independent testing organization put servicemembers — and the nation’s security — at risk.

“How is it ‘efficient’ to gut the office responsible for testing our equipment and making sure it’s safe for servicemembers to use?” Warren said. “This dangerous decision should be immediately reversed.”

The personnel cuts will come through a “targeted, deliberate and expeditious” civilian reduction in force, according to the memo. RIF notices will be distributed early next week and personnel who are not retained will be placed on administrative leave. All leadership currently classified as senior executive service will also be put on leave.

ODOT&E civilians who are employed by one of the military services will transfer back to those offices.

Beyond the workforce reductions, Hegseth calls for ending all contractor personnel support within seven days of the memo’s release.

“If ODOT&E decides it needs to support contractor personnel after adjusting to its base statutory mission set, ODOT&E may request such contract support with Deputy Secretary of Defense review after an initial 60-day acclimation period,” the document states.

The memo also appoints Carroll Quade, currently the Navy’s deputy for test and evaluation, to perform the duties of ODOT&E director effective immediately. Quade replaces Raymond O’Toole, who has served as acting director of the office since January, following two prior tours in the acting role.

“Mr. Quade will assume all duties of the Director, overseeing the transition and ensuring ODOT&E’s statutory requirements remain effective and in compliance with statute,” the memo states.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include new information from the Defense Department and reactions from lawmakers.

About Courtney Albon

Courtney Albon is C4ISRNET’s space and emerging technology reporter. She has covered the U.S. military since 2012, with a focus on the Air Force and Space Force. She has reported on some of the Defense Department’s most significant acquisition, budget and policy challenges.