Affordability Constraints in Major Defense Acquisitions
Abstract
We studied the Affordability constraints placed on acquisition programs since Better Buying Power was introduced by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics in 2010. This initiative can be thought of as extending programming from five years in the future to the full life of each acquisition program, typically in excess of twenty-five years. We discuss the management issues involved in carrying out this initiative, along with its results. The most significant outcome is that it has brought Service programmers to the Office of the Secretary of Defenses Defense Acquisition Board process. Program managers now need to have their long-term plans approved by the programmers, who verify that it fits with the long-term plans of the Service. While an affordability analysis is not a cost estimate, it cannot possibly be any more precise than the numerous program cost estimates used to conduct the analysis, meaning there will always be some uncertainty in planning, and the uncertainty gets larger the further into the future one looks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1021560
Entities
People
- Gregory A. Davis
- Kevin Y. Wu
- Lawrence N. Goeller
- Patrick R. Ward
- Stanley A. Horowitz
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses