Israeli CET Startups Could Benefit from New “Combatant Commander” Rule

The CET Sandbox spent time last week with an expert on DOD procurement, who reminded us that, under the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress has granted “Combatant Commanders” new authorities to conduct experimentation, prototyping, and technology demonstrations to address operational capability gaps. The development could create accelerated go-to-market paths for Israeli startups. 

For the record, Combatant Commanders are senior U.S. military leaders who command “Combatant Commands,” known as COCOMs. These individuals are typically responsible for military operations in a specific geographic region, like, for example, INDOPACOM, which is the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. These commanders also cover functional areas, like Cyber or Special Operations. They report directly to the Secretary of Defense and the President, and are focused on warfighting and operational execution, not traditional service administration or procurement.

The new authority in the NDAA allows these Combatant Commanders — which are sometimes referred to as “CCDRs” — to directly sponsor and manage early-stage development and testing of innovative technologies in realistic operational environments. In the past, these CCDRs had to rely on the military services or centralized acquisition organizations. 

While it does not give combatant commands full procurement or major contracting authority, it meaningfully expands their role at the front end of the acquisition lifecycle, effectively positioning them as quasi-acquisition actors for rapid capability development. Once you have Combatant Commanders as champions, you can do what former Air Force procurement officer and DIU staffer Sean Singleton recommended here: Have the CCDRs reach out to DIU to initiate solicitations on your behalf.

To help Israeli startups navigate this space, we’re including a list of the COCOMs below. Please feel free to contact David Yahid at The CET Sandbox if you need assistance navigating the CCDRs: