Weapons Acquisition Why do we buy the weapons we buy? Threat? Politics? Pork barrel spending?

Weapons Acquisition

Why do we buy the weapons we buy?

•Threat?•Politics?•Pork barrel spending?

What we hope would happen?

Threat

Strategy Weapons

Goals

Technology

What we think happens

THREAT Technology

Weapons

Politics

Threat Assessment

Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS)

(Since 2003)National Security Strategy of the US,Defense Strategic Guidance,, QDR

• CJCS: What capabilities are needed?

• Recommendation to SecDef

• SecDef: Recommendation to Pres.

Buying and Building Weapons

PPBE1.

Planning

2. Programming and

3. Budgeting

4. Execution

Pres. and Cong. decide what to buy

For Big Ticket Items Milestone A — initiates technology

maturation and risk reduction. Milestone B — initiates engineering

and manufacturing development. Milestone C — initiates production and

deployment

Funding: reviewed yearly by Pres. and Congress

Contractors?

F-35: Lockheed Martin Trident Ohio-Class Submarine:

General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division

MX ICBM:  Boeing; Martin Marietta and Denver Aerospace; Rockwell; Northrop; Thiokol; Aerojet; Hercules; and Rocketdyne

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber: Northrup Grumman

F-22

The MX Missile

MX Warheads

The Threat

The Future Threat

The Players: Mid-1970s

President Ford/Carter SecDef

Schlesinger/Rumsfled/Brown OSD USAF JCS Members of Congress

MX Multiple Protective Shelters

Cluster Based MPS

Another View of MPS

MX MPS Challenged Then Rejected1. States

1. Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska

2. Legislation1. National Environmental Protection Act

(1969)

2. Federal Land Policy Management Act (1976)

1. Environmental Impact Statements

3. Reagan

1981: Back to Drawing Board

Townes Commission (Executive) OTA, MX Missile Basing, 1981

(Legislative)

IDEAS:• 35 Basing modes considered!!!!

1. Rail Mobile

The HO Version

2. Underground Basing

Launch of Underground-based MX

3. Submarine-based MX

More…

4. Silo-Based5. Airborne6. Surface ship launch7. Closely-Spaced Basing (Dense Pack)8. Ballistic Missile Defense9. Launch on warning…

New Commission 1983

Scowcroft Commission (President’s Commission on Strategic Forces)

Solution1. MX in Silos2. Small ICBM (Midgetman): Road Mobile

Small ICBM (Midgetman)

SICBM-HML

SICBM-HML

Rail-Mobile MX: 1985-1986