Where Have all the Prototypes Gone? The Failure of the Prototyping Initiatives of the 1990s
Abstract
In the early l990s, the DOD cast prototyping in a new role as an acquisition reform measure. Although prototyping was already an accepted part of system acquisition, the initiatives of the early 90s advanced the notion of prototypes as a means of developing technology without the necessity of costly follow-on production. Prototype technology could be shelved and selectively produced, offering huge potential savings in defense dollars. Since the time of these proposals, however, the expected surge of prototyping efforts for large, complex system, such as aircraft and tanks, has not materialized. In this report, the author traces the acquisition strategies found in the DOD's Annual Report to the President and the Congress horn 1992 through 1996 to show the evolution of this new role for prototyping. The author finds that the early prototyping initiatives evolved to a specific kind of prototyping Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrators (ACTDs). An ACTD operationally tests an advanced technology and, if successful, directly fields the test articles or begins formal procurement of the system. This process applies to relatively simple system with low-rate production (1-10 units), such as unmanned aerial vehicles. Though ACTDs may prove successful for these simpler systems, the prototyping initiatives failed for large, complex system, for several reasons detailed in this paper.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA392889
Entities
People
- Devin L. Cate
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College