The Chinese Acquisition Process
Abstract
Given enough time, money, and clear operational tasks, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) research, development, and acquisition (RDA) system is clearly capable of producing innovative and advanced platforms. Over the past 30 years, it has made great progress in a number of very difficult fields, including hypersonic vehicles, carrier-based aviation, and propulsion systems, though jet engines and naval diesel engines seem to present some difficulties.3 Despite these achievements, it is a system plagued by many inefficiencies. PLA oversight over the large, state-owned conglomerates that monopolize the defense sector remains an issue. RDA is also a slow process--generally ten to 15 years to produce new large platforms, and sometimes considerably longer.4 There may be some exceptional systems that have been developed more rapidly (the DF-17 hypersonic missile may be one such example), and upgrades to existing systems can come more quickly, but most of the aircraft, ships, tanks, and missiles the PLA employs today have been under development since at least the early 2010s, and perhaps even much earlier. This consistent focus on ambitious projects and generous expenditure of resources over time is perhaps the greatest strength of the Chinese RDA process. While the PLA has encountered many difficulties and failures since the turn of the millennium, it has learned from them, has continued to improve, and now produces some of the most effective weapon systems in the world. It is important to note that this testimony is based entirely on publicly available sources. Given the opacity of China's RDA process, the reliance on publicly available sources has presented some difficulties and led to a certain degree of uncertainty over milestones like program start and end dates. It also necessitates a focus on large platforms, such as aircraft, warships, armored vehicles, and ballistic missiles, which are easier to track in open sources.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 13, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1199164
Entities
People
- Christian Curriden
Organizations
- RAND Corporation