Trillions for Military Technology : How the Pentagon Innovates and Why It Costs So Much

Trillions for Military Technology explains why the weapons purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense cost so much, why it takes decades to get them into production even as innovation in the civilian economy becomes ever more frenetic, and why some of those weapons don't work very well despite expenditures of many billions of dollars. It also explains what do about these problems. The author argues that the internal politics of the armed services make weapons acquisition almost unmanageable. Solutions require empowering civilian officials and reforms that will bring choice of weapons "into the sunshine" of public debate. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 List of Figures......Page 10 List of Tables......Page 12 Selected Abbreviations......Page 14 1 Choosing Weapons......Page 16 2 Technology and Doctrine......Page 30 3 Korea and its Aftermath: The Shift to High Technology......Page 44 4 Understanding Acquisition......Page 64 5 Organizing for Defense......Page 86 6 Buying Military Systems: What the Services Want and What They Get......Page 104 7 Research and Weapons Design......Page 122 8 Complex Systems and the Revolution in Military Affairs......Page 144 9 Innovation and Learning in Peace and in War......Page 164 10 Generation of Variety and Selection of Innovations......Page 186 11 Taking Reform Seriously......Page 204 Notes......Page 224 About the Author......Page 268 A......Page 270 C......Page 272 D......Page 273 I......Page 274 L......Page 275 N......Page 276 P......Page 277 R......Page 278 T......Page 279 X......Page 280 This book explains why the weapons purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense cost so much, why it takes decades to get them into production even as innovation in the civilian economy becomes more frenetic, and why some weapons don't work very well despite expenditures of many billions of dollars