The impact of long ATOs on mission speed.

Modern defense missions run on software, but authorization timelines still operate at a pace that doesn’t match the mission. Based on a survey of 200 DoW decision-makers, this report explores where the system breaks down and what it will take to fix it.

• Why ATO timelines (often 12–18 months) are creating operational risk.

• How reciprocity is widely supported but inconsistently applied.

• The real barriers preventing reuse of security decisions.

• What it takes to make reciprocity scalable, trusted, and repeatable.