WASHINGTON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - A leading defense

manufacturer has asked the Trump administration to reform the

Pentagon's contracting system, saying it was too slow and

bureaucratic to combat threats from China and Iran, a letter

reviewed by Reuters showed.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. sent the letter

dated January 24 to billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has

been tasked with streamlining U.S. government efficiency as

co-head of the Department of Operational Guidance and

Efficiency.

The company, which makes the popular Predator drone, joins a

growing list of firms that have viewed the DOGE efficiency panel

as a route to lobby for the removal of rules that slow the sale

of military equipment.

L3Harris Technologies ( LHX ), one of the world's biggest

defense contractors, called on the panel to reform the

Pentagon's contracting system earlier this month, citing similar

concerns.

In the letter, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems CEO

Linden Blue urged Musk to reform the defense acquisition system

to enhance its efficiency and contribution to national security.

He highlighted three areas that deserve special attention:

delays, buck-passing, and self-shackling.

Blue suggested that the U.S. government could accelerate

larger system acquisitions by setting time limits on Pentagon

milestones.

He also called for establishing accountability within the

U.S. Foreign Military Sales system, and reforming the U.S.

interpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime to focus

on missile technology tied to weapons of mass destruction rather

than Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones).

Trump created DOGE following his November election, naming

Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek

Ramaswamy as its co-heads, with the aim to dismantle

bureaucracy, cut regulations and restructure agencies.

Speeding up Pentagon contracting could potentially boost

profits for companies that do business with the defense

department. Companies normally pay lobbyists millions of dollars

to advocate on their behalf.