SOFTWARE ACQUISITION
FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY
Brig. Gen. Robert L. Barrie, program executive officer for Aviation, speaks at the "Modular Open System Approach" Warriors Corner speaker session during the 2021 Association of the United States Army annual meeting. The Future Long Range Assault Aircraft Project Office integrated the approach into its requirements to enable life cycle affordability. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Henry Gundacker)
practices was not easy. While hardliners scoffed at the idea and worried they wouldn’t make a profit, Ford changed its script, and sales skyrocketed.
ACQUISITION NEEDS A NEW THOUGHT PROCESS In 2018, the Army laid out a modernization strategy in line with the National Defense Strategy. Four years later, the Army is executing to this strategy, aligning with best commercial practices for design and requirements optimization and using cutting-edge digital engineering design tools to flesh out ideas, concepts and innovations before selecting the eventual builder of these aircraft in 2022.
Army leadership is fostering an environment where tailored acquisition strategies thrive, and senior leaders know the differ- ence in associated risks between rapid and deliberate processes. Acquisition professionals are ensuring this process fully involves experienced operators and sustainment professionals, embrac- ing their feedback. While there is a healthy tension between the industry competitors who are looking to be selected to build the aircraft, competition will only drive us to a better, more afford- able end-product.
CONCLUSION Te nation’s challenges aren’t getting any easier. While we trust that its strength will endure, and hopefully deter the next war, it will be a new era of Soldiers who will fight in the next major conflict. It is our responsibility in the Army to ensure Soldiers have
the right equipment, the very best aircraft and lethal capabilities to win. Our mission is important, and with the changing envi- ronment, Army aviation may yet again be the first in harm’s way.
For large, complex organizations like the Army, adopting new models can be difficult and the barriers to change are often steep. With today’s realities, the Army cannot afford the luxury of historically long, drawn-out acquisition timelines. Making informed decisions on requirements through design optimization will enable the Army to ensure capabilities are affordable, meet multidomain operations requirements and deliver on an aggres- sive schedule that does not sacrifice rigor for speed.
Delivering next generation Army capabilities will require a new paradigm and a team-of-teams effort. We will succeed.
For more information, go to
https://www.army.mil/arti- cle/239362/future_long_range_assault_aircraft_flraa.
COL. DAVID PHILLIPS is the project manager for Future Long Range Assault Aircraft. He has an M.S. in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University, a masters of strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a B.S. in engineering physics from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has completed Defense Acquisition University’s Executive Program Managers' Course, and is Level III certified in program management.
https://asc.ar my.mil
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