Defense Acquisitions: Major Weapon Systems Continue to Experience Cost and Schedule Problems under DOD's Revised Policy

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DOD) is planning to invest $1.3 trillion between 2005 and 2009 in researching, developing, and procuring major weapon systems. How DOD manages this investment has been a matter of congressional concern for years. Numerous programs have been marked by cost overruns, schedule delays, and reduced performance. Over the past 3 decades, DOD's acquisition environment has undergone many changes aimed at curbing cost, schedule, and other problems. In order to determine if the policy DOD put in place is achieving its intended goals, we assessed the outcomes of major weapons development programs initiated under the revised policy. Additionally, we assessed whether the policy's knowledge-based, evolutionary principles are being effectively implemented, and whether effective controls and specific criteria are in place and being used to make sound investment decisions.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA446135

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Aircrafts
  • Best Practices
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Electronically Scanned Array
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Governments
  • Military Acquisition
  • Product Development
  • Radio Equipment
  • Systems Engineering
  • Tactical Radios
  • United States Government
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Weapon Systems

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Strategic Security Studies
  • Systems Analysis and Design