Defense Acquisition Reform: Persistent Challenges Require New Iterative Approaches to Delivering Capability with Speed

▤ Summary

GAO says the Department of Defense plans to spend nearly $2.4 trillion on 106 major weapon programs, but these programs now take almost 12 years to deliver initial capability. The report argues that DOD’s linear acquisition model is too slow for emerging threats and often produces systems that are outdated by the time they arrive. It points to commercial iterative development practices as a better blueprint for faster, more adaptive delivery. The article also notes that current innovation efforts and procurement flexibilities help, but they do not fix the underlying acquisition structure.

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