“Defense industry CEOs rarely criticize Pentagon policies publicly,” writes Defense One , but “Wes Bush, chairman, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman, broke that unwritten rule Tuesday when he criticized a new Pentagon rule that requires defense companies to get government approval to spend their own money.”  

“Bush voiced his opposition to a provision in the Pentagon’s Better Buying Power acquisition doctrine that requires companies to get a Defense Department sponsor when they conduct independent research-and-development projects.”  

“Top Defense Department officials have been pushing firms to spend more of their own money on  research-and-development projects as federal spending is expected to decline. The hope is that these projects could spur new technology that could give the military a cost-saving edge on the battlefield of the future.”