To Fly a Falcon: An Exercise in Bureaucratic Politics

Abstract

To procure a new major weapons system, one might envision an orderly process of articulating a need based on a scenario and a threat, identifying candidates to fulfill that need, selecting the best, and then negotiating a price with the winning contractor. And, in fact, this Process has been followed at times, but not always. The decision to produce the F-16 "Fighting Falcon" for the US Air Force was not a solution discovered by detached analysts focusing coolly on the problem. Rather, the explanation really lies In a complex game of negotiations, bargaining, and deals Involving a number of Influential players within the government, In industry, and overseas. This paper analyzes this "game" --a procurement decision that was an outcome of bureaucratic politics. "We will review the factors leading up to the decision. look at the players involved, then analyze the process which brought these players into a final decision.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 18, 1992
Accession Number
ADA440829

Entities

People

  • Branford J. Mcallister

Organizations

  • National War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Air Superiority Fighters
  • Aircrafts
  • Airplanes
  • Avionics
  • Bargaining
  • Competition
  • Contractors
  • Defense Systems
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Force Structure
  • Procurement
  • Prototypes
  • Warfare
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Game Theory.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.