Best Practices: Using a Knowledge-Based Approach to Improve Weapon Acquisition

The Department of Defense (DoD) is on the threshold of several major investments in acquisition programs that are likely to dominate budget and doctrinal debates well into the next decade. Over the next 5 years alone, DoD's overall investments are expected to average $150 billion a year as DoD works to keep legacy systems as well as transform national defense capabilities for the future. To meet this challenge, it is essential that sound foundations for investments in systems be laid now so that the resulting programs can be executed within estimates of available resources. At the request of the Congress, the General Accounting Office (GAO) has been examining ways in which DoD can optimize its investment in weapon systems, drawing on lessons learned from the best, mostly commercial, product development efforts. Leading commercial firms they have studied have developed increasingly sophisticated products in less time and at lower cost. Key to their success is their knowledge-based approach to the acquisition of new products. A knowledge-based approach is supported by incentives that encourage realism and candor. This booklet highlights the results of GAO's work to date. They continue to explore additional facets of the acquisition process to identify best practices. More details on their work can be found