Providing the Means of War: Perspectives on Defense Acquisition 1945-2000

412 Pages·2015·1.73 MB·English

by  U.S. Army Center of Military History

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ersPectives on efense cquisition
1945–2000
U.S. Army
Center of
Military
History
and
Industrial
College of
the Armed Edited by
PIN : 081039–000 Forces
Shannon A. Brown
Providing the Means of War
Historical Perspectives
on Defense Acquisition,
1945–2000
Shannon A. Brown
General Editor
United StateS army Center of military HiStory
and
indUStrial College of tHe armed forCeS
WaSHington, d.C., 2005
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Providing the means of war : historical perspectives on defense acquisition, 1945–
2000 / Shannon A. Brown, general editor.
p. cm.
1. United States—Armed Forces—Procurement—History—20th century—
Congresses. I. Brown, Shannon A. II. Title.
UC263.P79 2005
355.6’212’097309045—dc22
2005042041
First Printing—CMH Pub 70–87–1
Foreword
Acquisition as defined by the Department of Defense denotes our
national security establishment harnessing the scientific and engineer-
ing knowledge of military and civilian professionals to create the tools of
modern war. It encompasses research and development, engineering, con-
tracting, test and evaluation, fielding, and disposal of weapon systems and
other forms of technology that are vital to the nation. The acquisition pro-
cess includes resource-management and strategic decisions that determine
the new forms of technology that are developed.
The Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF)—which is cel-
ebrating its eightieth anniversary in 2004—is dedicated to supporting
the study of national security decision-making and understanding the
vital defense acquisition process that supports it. The U.S. Army Center
of Military History (CMH) is committed to having the study of the past
inform the decisions of the future. This book, a product of both institu-
tions, is an important contribution to understanding the complex relation-
ships that characterize the defense acquisition process central to our shared
missions and goals.
These pages highlight the papers and presentations from the defense
acquisition symposium, Providing the Means of War. Held on 10–12
September 2001, the symposium was organized by CMH historians with
the assistance of the ICAF faculty. During the second day of the confer-
ence, the connections between national security strategy and resource
management became the subject of even more reflective discussion as the
tragedies of 11 September unfolded. Since the watershed events of that
day, the U.S. armed forces have been battling terrorism around the globe
and are in the throes of an institutional transformation to meet twenty-first
century challenges. The history of acquisition—and the acquisition com-
munity—can teach us much about institutional changes, the American
response to global threats, and how resources can be best applied to
address them.
The motto of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces is Industria
et Defensio Inseparabiles (“Industry and Defense Are Inseparable”). True
to this spirit, the contributions in this volume show that the acquisition
process is a shared burden, with both private industry and the American
government having important roles to play. We trust that these papers will
iii
enhance our awareness of this process and of the inseparable partnerships
that continue to provide our men and women in uniform with the most
modern and capable means of war.
Washington, D.C.
15 March 2005
FrAnCeS C. WIlSon JoHn S. BroWn
Major General, USMC Brigadier General, USA (ret.)
Commandant Chief of Military History
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
Preface
This book, Providing the Means of War: Historical Perspectives on
Defense Acquisition, 1945–2000, is based on the papers presented at an
Acquisition History Symposium that took place on 10–12 September
2001. While acquisition is always a critical and timely subject, this con-
ference gained special meaning because of the dates on which it was
held. on the second day of the conference, two planes slammed into the
World Trade Center in new York, a third smashed into the Pentagon in
Washington, and a fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. For those
who might be tempted to think of the symposium as an academic exer-
cise, the events that took place on 11 September serve as a reminder that
the outcomes of the defense acquisition process have sweeping strategic
consequences. For good or ill, our country and the men and women in the
armed forces depend on the products and services obtained through this
process for the defense of the nation. While acquisition is frequently a
contentious process, at once political, technical, and managerial, the chap-
ters presented here illustrate both the remarkable achievements of the sys-
tem and the ongoing struggle to transform to support the changing needs
of the military. As a nation, we have experienced remarkable changes in
technology, doctrine, and capabilities during the fifty-five years following
World War II. The security environment of the first years of the twenty-
first century calls for continuing, indeed, increased flexibility, speed, and
the capacity to change.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is facilitating an understanding of
the past through the Acquisition History Project. This symposium repre-
sented the first major product of that ongoing project. The defense com-
munity, we hope, will build on the experiences of others, for the benefit of
those who depend on the capabilities developed by the DoD and its indus-
trial partners. The Defense Acquisition History Project is one way for the
acquisition community to learn about the past and illuminate our under-
standing of contemporary and future issues. The project is truly a joint
effort, looking back at case histories from the Army, navy, and Air Force,
as well as from the office of the Secretary of Defense (oSD).
Creating and nurturing joint endeavors often takes vision and per-
sistence. This Acquisition History Project owes its existence to the late
Dr. James H. edgar. It was his vision, creativity, and persistence that
pulled the services and oSD together to sponsor this important effort. The
acquisition community lost a valued member and a dear friend with Jim’s
untimely passing not long after this symposium. A long-time acquisi-
tion professional and a Senior executive in the Department of the Army,
Dr. edgar is represented in this volume by his article, “The origins and
Impact of the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act.” It is
fitting that Dr. edgar’s chapter deals with the acquisition workforce. not
only was he instrumental in the crafting of this legislation during his time
on Capitol Hill, but he also cared deeply for the acquisition workforce and
always strove to advance the capabilities of that workforce so that it might
better serve the nation’s needs. He was always interested in education and
training for the workforce, and he personally loved learning. It was in the
convergence of his love of learning and the needs of the workforce that
this project began, and it is only fitting that this first volume be dedicated
to Dr. edgar. He touched many lives in many ways, and this project is only
one of his many concrete works by which he will be remembered.
Shortly after 11 September, our nation engaged in military action
in Afghanistan. our men and women brought with them their skill and
determination, plus the strategies and the military capabilities developed
by the Department of Defense and the industrial base that supports it.
The national security community demonstrated remarkable flexibility
and ability. History teaches us that we have many names for our continu-
ous efforts to maximize and make effective our DoD processes. Whether
called revolution, reform, transformation, or any other name, what we do
to maximize the effectiveness of defense acquisition really matters. In the
memory of visionaries like Dr. Jim edgar, and to those who depend on the
fruits of our work, we look back at history, to learn better how to approach
the future.
September 2003 lInDA S. BrAnDT
Industrial College
of the Armed Forces
vi
Contents
Page
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
IntroductIon
Shannon A. Brown................................ 5
defense AcquIsItIon HIstory symposIum
keynote Address
J. ronald Fox.................................... 19
Part I: Into the Cold War
Into tHe cold wAr: An overvIew of AcquIsItIon In tHe
depArtment of defense, 1945–1958
elliott V. Converse III ............................. 27
sosus, tHe nAvy, And Bell lABs
Gary e. Weir ......................... ........... 47
weApons, “weAk” stAtes, And tHe mIlItAry contrAct
system: tHe cAse of rAnd And tHe AIr force,
1945–1950
Martin J. Collins.................................. 61
Part II: the MCnaMara legaCy
AcquIsItIon In tHe depArtment of defense, 1959–1968:
tHe mcnAmArA legAcy
Walter S. Poole................................... 79
BuIldIng mIssIles: concurrency And tHe legAcy of tHe
eArly AIr force IcBm progrAm
John lonnquest .................................. 97
seeds of A revolutIon: mArItIme uAvs In tHe 1960s
Thomas P. ehrhard................................ 111
vii
Part III: retrenChMent and reforM
defense AcquIsItIon In tHe 1970s: retrencHment
And reform
Shannon A. Brown with Walton S. Moody ............. 141
money, mAnAgement, And mAnpower: ImportAnt
vArIABles In tHe desIgn And AcquIsItIon of
Oliver Hazard Perry-clAss frIgAtes
Timothy l. Francis................................ 169
movIng tArget: tHe u .s . Army InfAntry fIgHtIng veHIcle
progrAm In tHe 1970s
W. Blair Haworth, Jr............................... 183
Part IV: aCquIsItIon In the 1980s
An overvIew of AcquIsItIon, 1981–1990
Andrew J. Butrica ................................ 199
tHe strAtegIc defense InItIAtIve And AcquIsItIon
reform: tHe cAse of BrIllIAnt peBBles
Donald r. Baucom................................ 225
tHe orIgIns And ImpAct of tHe defense AcquIsItIon
workforce Improvement Act (dAwIA)
James H. edgar .................................. 261
Part V: Post-Cold War aCquIsItIon
defense AcquIsItIon In An uncertAIn world:
tHe post-cold wAr erA, 1990–2000
Philip l. Shiman ................................. 283
reducIng AcquIsItIon cycle tIme: creAtIng A
fAst And responsIve AcquIsItIon system
ross T. Mcnutt .................................. 317
tHe trAnsItIon dIlemmA: reseArcH And development
In tHe 1990s
Mark l. Montroll................................. 339
symposIum closIng remArks
B. F. Cooling .................................... 353
viii
Part VI: 11 sePteMber 2001: round table
dIsCussIon on defense aCquIsItIon
linda Brandt .................................... 367
Jacques S. Gansler
Paul Ignatius
Paul G. Kaminski
contrIButors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
ix