Podcast: Risk taking, commercial tech, and the ARCI program with Bill Johnson
I was pleased to have Bill Johnson on the Acquisition Talk podcast to talk about how he helped bring commercial technology, open architecture, and continuous […]
Blog Posts
JCIDS process timelines and impact on Software Acquisition Pathway
After the Oct. 2021 release of the new JCIDS instructions (CJCSI 5123.01I), here’s a little more information on the Software Initial Capabilities Document (SW-ICD) requirements […]
HASC Chairman: defense acquisition is hard!
The chairman of the House Armed Services committee today passionately pushed back on the idea that wasteful spending on defense systems is the result of […]
Acquisition headlines (6/20 – 6/26/2022)
Disrupted by SpaceX, ULA was in ‘serious trouble.’ Now its on the road back. (Washington Post) “After years of delays, [ULA] says it is close […]
NASA’s administrator says cost-plus is a “plague,” just as DoD is giving up on fixed-price development
Here’s an article about NASA’s administrator Bill Nelson in ArsTechnica, NASA chief says cost-plus contracts are a “plague” on the space agency. Nelson was asked […]
How the China narrative may be changing
Right now, there’s this strong narrative that China’s government can do no wrong. China is unstoppable juggernaut. This view is about eight years out of […]
How can future fighter aircraft be developed as a family of systems rather than vertical stovepipe?
Here’s Special Assistant to the SecAF Dr. Tim Grayson speaking at a recent Hudson Institute event hosted by the excellent Bryan Clark and Dan Patt […]
SpaceX’s platform-based strategy beats bespoke requirements
Bent Flyvgjberg and Atif Ansar have a new article providing evidence that SpaceX projects outperform historical and contemporary competitors by using a platform approach. The […]
Acquisition headlines (6/13 – 6/19/2022)
Analyzing the biggest changes in the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 update. (Breaking Defense) Structural changes Plans to cut the number of infantry battalions from […]
The challenges of getting SBIR funding, and are things better in Canada?
Here’s more from Laura Crabtree, who created a startup after 12 years at SpaceX, speaking on the Venture Stories podcast. She provides some anecdotal evidence that access to government […]
Podcast: Problem areas in small business set-asides with Amanda & Alex Bresler
I was pleased to have Amanda Bresler and Alex Bresler back on the podcast to discuss their newest Naval Postgraduate School symposium paper on the […]
Advanced material buys to accelerate missile production
Here’s a conversation with John Norman, VP at Raytheon of USAF airpower requirements and capability and former USAF major general, on the Aerospace Advantage podcast. […]
Anduril releases mission document: Rebooting the Arsenal of Democracy
Here is an interesting slice from Anduril’s mission document: Rebooting the Arsenal of Democracy. In the early 1960s, under the direction of then Secretary of […]
Acquisition headlines (6/6 – 6/12/2022)
Kendall: KC-46 might have worked better if not fixed-price; Pegasus now cleared for 97% of US aircraft. (Air Force Magazine) “The KC-46 “was supposed to […]
Talent, resource allocation, and SpaceX
Here is an excerpt from entrepreneur and VC Daniel Gross talking with Tyler Cowen about their new book, Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and […]