How CALS Can Improve the DoD Weapon System Acquisition Process

Abstract

Since 1988, DoD has required use of Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistics Support acquisitions and for existing weapon system programs, where cost-effective. We identify the DoD acquisition processes with the highest potential payoff from CALS applications and estimate related DoD workload reductions. We also identify implementation actions and necessary policy or standards changes required to implement selected CALS applications. We conservatively estimate that a DoD acquisition program for a typical weapon system will save more than 1,000 workweeks (19.4 workyears) of DoD effort and over 1,250 calendar weeks among the individual, and often concurrent, acquisition tasks. We anticipate the highest CALS payoffs in the engineering and configuration management, test and evaluation, and manufacturing functions during the demonstration and validation and the engineering and manufacturing development acquisition phases. We conservatively estimate that nine proposed CALS applications in four functional areas will save over $165 million annually DoD-wide. The technology and standards needed to implement CALS throughout DoD is available, but DoD needs to modernize its infrastructure and obtain functional manager support for streamlined business processes before it can achieve most of those savings.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA259928

Entities

People

  • Gerald T. Kelley
  • Philip W. Clark
  • Richard W. Modrowski

Organizations

  • LMI

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Application Software
  • Business Administration
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Configuration Management
  • Control Systems
  • Economic Analysis
  • Engineers
  • Information Systems
  • Logistics
  • Management Personnel
  • Organizational Structure
  • System Software
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.