Defense Capabilities Development and Defense Industry, U.S. Case Study

Abstract

New product development is a very complex process independent of the domain, and defense industry is not an exception, being an especially challenging process that involves interactions between industrial suppliers of goods and services with multiple government offices often trying to balance competing objectives. The big dilemma is: How governments acquire the equipment, goods, and services needed for their armed forces at a reasonable price, appropriate quality, and with a reasonable time frame? Complex weapon systems are developed by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) through the defense acquisition system, which must provide more affordable systems as a matter of national security. Yet the defense acquisition system is in a perpetual state of reform, the fact is there is no evidence of improved acquisition outcomes. In this research, U.S. MoD defense acquisition system will be analyzed and the reforms that had to be made to improve the current acquisition outcomes.