Missile Defense Acquisition: Failure Is Not An Option

Abstract

North Korea stunned the world in 1998 with the launch of a Taepo Dong-1 ballistic missile over Japan into the sea.1 With the nation already possessing weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the test launch signaled their intention to develop an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the Continental United States.2 In 2002, Secretary Rumsfeld made the decision to exempt MDA from the standard acquisition framework defined in the Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) oversight process and DOD 5000.02 Acquisition Instruction.3 In light of the exemption, critics view MDA as possessing limited accountability, transparency, and incomplete engineering. However, the agency's exemption from the standard acquisition framework enables the rapid delivery of critical BMDS capabilities, increased acquisition process agility, and improved engineering rigor over time. With the MDA Director serving as the Milestone Decision Authority and Senior Procurement Executive, the agency's acquisition process is tailorable, flexible, and more responsive than the typical DOD acquisition process. MDAs internal functional managers provide expert assistance and timely reviews to sustain momentum in the acquisition process. With the introduction of MDAs Acquisition Management Instruction, the agency created a more efficient acquisition environment by removing unnecessary reviews, documentation, and reporting requirements as characterized in typical DOD acquisition programs. Simultaneous BMDS development and operations provides opportunities for early learning, essentially establishing a self-correcting acquisition approach with emphasis shifting from research and development to performance and manufacturing quality. This paper recommends continuing BMDS deregulation as it preserves MDAs agility and flexibility in rapidly equipping the Warfighter with improved BMDS capabilities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 26, 2016
Accession Number
AD1036926

Entities

People

  • Bruce A. Lloyd

Organizations

  • Air War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Anti-Ballistic Missiles
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Congress
  • Defense Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Engineering
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Governments
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Military Acquisition
  • National Security
  • Reliability
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Strategic Security Studies