Twenty-First Century Defense Acquisition: Challenges and Opportunities

This article is the first in a series that will examine the complexities associated with defense acquisition decision-making in the twenty-first century. Budget constraints, political dynamics, cooperative alliances, and changing requirements pose particular— and often unique—challenges. This series of articles is intended to offer systemic “models” for effecting good acquisition decisions, provoke new ideas, and encourage dialogue across national borders on matters of defense acquisition. This first article examines the use of a formal acquisition strategy methodology as a means of reducing uncertainty in defense acquisition decision-making and selecting the best alternative toward achieving a capability.