Special operations and the Soldier System : critical acquisition issues.

164 Pages·3 MB·en_US

by  Lessley, Douglas W.;Doyle, Richard B.

DUDLEY KNOX
LIBRARY
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE
SCHOOl
MONTEREY CA
93943 5101

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
Monterey, California
THESIS
SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND THE SOLDIER SYSTEM. CRITICAL
ACQUISITION ISSUES
by
DOUGLAS W. LESSLEY
MARCH, 1992
Thesis Advisor: RICHARD B. DOYLE
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

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11 TITLE(IncludeSecurityClassification)
SPECIALOPERATIONSANDTHESOLDIERSYSTEM:CRITICALACQUISITIONISSUES
12 PERSONALAUTHOR(S) Lessley, DouglasW.
13a TYPEOFREPORT 13b TIME COVERED 14 DATEOFREPORT(year, month,day) 15 PAGE COUNT
Master'sThesis From To March 1992 155
16 SUPPLEMENTARYNOTATION
TheviewsexpressedinthisthesisarethoseoftheauthoranddonotreflecttheofficialpolicyorpositionoftheDepartmentofDefenseortheU.S.
Government.
17 COSATICODES 18 SUBJECTTERMS(continueonreverseifnecessaryandidentifybyblocknumber)
FIELD GROUP SUBGROUP USSOCOM,SORDAC,SoldierSystem,SpecialOperationsAcquisition,Soldier
ModernizationPlan
19 ABSTRACT(continueonreverseifnecessaryandidentifybyblocknumber)
ThisthesisprovidestheUSSpecialOperationsCommand(USSOCOM)technologybasemanagerwithanunclassifiedreferencedocumentonthe
Army's"SoldierSystem,"thecollectivetermfortheArmy'semergingapproachtotheresearch,developmentandacquisitionofitemsusedbythe
individualsoldieronhtebattlefield. ChaptersIIIVoutlinetheemergingapproach,discussingtheSoldierModernizationPlan,thecurrentArmy
acquisitionstructureandprocess,andtheArmyScienceBoard"SoldierasaSystem"study. ChapterVdiscussestheacqusitionresponsibilities
ofUSSOCOM,detailingtheevolvingrelationshipwiththeArmyrequirementdevelopmentprocessforindividualsoldieritems. ChapterVI
summarizesthethesisfindings,assessesthenextsteps,andmakesspecificrecommendationstoUSSOCOM. Theprincipalconclusionisthat
maintainingconcurrentandreinforcingcombatdevelopment,technoologybase,andtop-levelprogrammanagementinterfacechannelswiththe
SoldierSystemisthemosteffectivewayfor USSOCOMtoinfluencetheArmy'sprocesstomeettheneedsofspecialoperations
20 DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITYOFABSTRACT 21 ABSTRACTSECURITYCLASSIFICATION
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3 UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED J SAMEASREPORI OllCUSERS UNCLASSIFIED
22a NAMEOFRESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 22b TELEPHONE(IncludeAreacode) 22c OFFICESYMBOL
408-646-3302 AS/Dy
DrRichardB.Doyle
DD FORM 1473, 84 MAR 83APReditionmaybeuseduntilexhausted SECURITYCLASSIFICATIONOF 1HIS PAGE
Allothereditionsareobsolete UNCLASSIFIED
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Special Operations and the Soldier System: Critical Acquisition Issues
by
DouglasW. Jjessley
Captain, United States Army
B.A., Washington and Lee University, 1983
Submitted in partial fulfillment
ofthe requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT
from the
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
March 1992
n
.
ABSTRACT
This thesis provides the US Special Operations Command
(USSOCOM) technology base manager with an unclassified reference
document on the Army's "Soldier System," the collective term for
the Army's emerging approach to the research, development and
acquisition of items used by the individual soldier on the
battlefield. Chapters II - IV outline the emerging approach,
discussing the Soldier Modernization Plan, the current Army
acquisition structure and process, and the Army Science Board
"Soldier as a System" study. Chapter V discusses the acquisition
responsibilities of USSOCOM, detailing the evolving relationship
with the Army requirement development process for individual
soldier items. Chapter VI summarizes the thesis findings, assesses
the next steps, and makes specific recommendations to USSOCOM.
The principal conclusion is that maintaining concurrent and
reinforcing combat development, technology base, and top-level
program management interface channels with the Soldier System is
the most effective way for USSOCOM to influence the Army's process
to meet the needs of special operations
111
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I 1
.
A BACKGROUND
1
.
B OBJECTIVE 5
.
C RESEARCH QUESTIONS 6
.
D SCOPE, LIMITATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS 7
.
E LITERATURE REVIEW AND METHODOLOGY 7
.
F ORGANIZATION 8
.
II SOLDIER MODERNIZATION 9
.
A INTRODUCTION
9
.
B SYSTEMS APPROACH 11
.
1 Definition 11
.
2 Traditional Approach to Soldier Items 12
.
3 Emerging Approach - Next Steps 13
.
C. ARMY MODERNIZATION 14
1 Concept 14
.
2 Strategy and Modernization Plans 15
.
D SMP PROGRAMS 17
.
1 General Overview 17
.
2 Current Systems 18
.
3 Next Generation Systems 18
.
4 Future Systems 23
.
E SOLDIER SYSTEM FUNDING 23
.
1 General Overview 23
.
2 Funding Assessment Problems 24
.
iv