And you want to add this, and this, and that??? Um… we can ‘probably’ do that, but it’ll take us longer.
Okay, here ya go; er… MORE changes??? It’ll take us longer.
Lather, rinse, repeat…
So 15 years and SIX BILLION dollars later, the Joint Tactical Radio System was finally killed without ever fielding a single ‘real’ radio… (Article HERE)
One of the ‘test’ articles that actually made it into the field weighed 207 lbs (without cooling system), took almost a minute to come up and complete all the BIT checks, and couldn’t talk to ‘certain’ systems due to incompatibility. Some tactical system…
Another example is the VH-71 Kestrel (planned to be the new Marine One). This program started in 1998 to update from the old H-3s and H-60s. A friend of mine was the test pilot for the fly off between the two programs, the Sikorsky S-92 and the AgustaWestland AW101.
The AgustaWestland won, but Congress pitched a hissy fit because it was ‘foreign’…
And then the pissing contest and requirements porn started…
Escalating needs for range, capacity, communications, self-protection, and creature comforts for the occupants. At one point my friend told me there were over 100 MAJOR changes to the requirements… (Article HERE)
In terminating the program, Gates joked that the VH-71 was supposed to be capable of providing the President a three-course meal while fleeing a nuclear attack…
And we’ve seen the same thing with the Zumwalt class Destroyers, now cut to only three ships as ‘new technology’ test beds.
And the F-35 is currently being reviewed negatively by the CNO as too highly priced, not meeting the out year requirements (and it’s over weight too)… (Article HERE)
What has happened is the bureaucracy has taken over not only the procurement process, but also the requirements process. What is “good enough” to field quickly and effectively (see the tail end of the first article on how SOCOM and others have gone ‘around’ the procurement system); is not “good enough” for the bureaucracy. It’s always we need to ‘add’ capability (which adds complexity, weight, etc.), or we need to ‘spread out’ procurement (can we say PORK), or it’s got to be US made (not always the best ideas), or…
As a consequence, we’re sitting on old systems, some FAR beyond their original service lives (B-52s will be EIGHTY years old when finally retired, P-3s will be 60+ years old when they go). Equipment like Hummers, MRAPs, M-60s are no longer even close to standardized, with multiple ‘variants’; specialized for ‘single’ uses; body armor that is out dated, weapons that need upgrading (now on the THIRD iteration of trying to buy new pistols and rifles), and many other POS out there our folks are making work in spite of the bureaucracy…
And staring at sequestration in November, the military stands to lose another $450 Billion dollars in funds. If this happens, we WILL become a third rate military simply because there will be NO money to actually procure new systems, nor provide upgrades/standardize existing systems, nor even maintain current systems.
We really need to take back control of our government; how do we do that?
Get people in positions that can make decisions, revamp the procurement process, and provide valid guidance that puts “good enough” equipment in the hands of our military. I would even go so far as to say we need to make it a requirement that the people in charge have previous military experience!!!
Nothing… nothing… is as deadly stifling to a society as bureaucracy and self serving politicians.
Not really surprised at any of this. The bottom line is that virtually no one who makes decisions on these systems has to be at the “pointy end of the stick” – all they have to do is puff their chest and make commanding sounds.
This type of radio was my very first project is 1980 at a very prominent electronics company in my area. As far as I can see, from the descriptions given in the article, we met all the requirements way back then – along with a few that used to be important, but I’ve been outta that game along time.
The “government” is so lost . . . . and while replacing the Big “O” in November will be a good step – it is nothing but a baby step, and a very small one at that.
When Swede Momsen was laying out the specs for the USS Albacore (a submarine designed to test underwater hull shapes) he told the designers, “When in doubt, think speed.”
He did not install any weapons systems which kept BuShips, and all their requirements, out of the design. The Albacore went on to prove the submarine hull shape and ontrol surfaces we have today. That hull, married with nuclear power, was a winner.
We need more Momsens and Rickovers. Can we call Gen Honore (stuck on stupid) out of retirement?
“What has happened is the bureaucracy has taken over not only the procurement process, but also the requirements process.” Welcome to health care…
Hey, I’ve Toured the Albacore! Good Boat! Check it out if you get up to New England.
But I was shocked to find out that the M16 Rifle system has been in Official Service for over 50 years, and is now the Longest Serving GENERAL ISSUED Long Gun in the Army’s History.
Yeah, I know the M14 is still sending Lead Down Range, but it’s not on every G.I.s Shoulder.
But having worked for a small company that did Military Commo back in the 80’s, this doesn’t surprise me. I remember when some Guard Red Leg Unit was kicking ass using TI Calculators during an Exercise, while the Regular Army’s Big Bulky New Battle Field Arty Computer was crashing all the time. Big Army tried to Fail them, but had to eat Crow when they were told that if they tried to Down Check them, they would have to ask Congress how they could be Tested at all since the Guard wasn’t scheduled to get the POS Computer for another 5 years. I think the Unit’s Col. said “If you want to make it Fair and Equal, have the Regulars shut down their Computer and send out Spotters with Field Phones down range and let them call it in. But I won’t be responsible for any short rounds landing on them.”
They got to keep the TIs.
Wasn’t it a Russian Admiral that said, “Better is the enemy of good enough”?
Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) $75,000,000 and never fielded an instrument.
We got asked if we could fix it. The major problems were feature creep without any benefits, and concept of use that was not based on the real world.
We declined. The program manager got another star and the program got shut down.
Gerry
I keep remembering that the Germans had the very best tanks in WWII, and the Soviets out produced them, and the Sherman came in clusters to be modified on the battlefield as needed.
But American armed forces only become third world the day that the American quits being a fighter… oh, sorry, I forgot – we don’t do violence any more..
Common sense says that the people who are going to use the product should be involved in the design phase.
Of course, we all know that common sense is in short supply in a bureaucracy.
If you’re not already familiar with their histories, go back and look at some of the aircraft that were fielded in WWII. Note the dates when design started, and how long it took to get them into combat.
Now…try to imagine that kind of drawing-board-to-combat timeframe with ANYTHING these days. It’s a crying shame.
It’s called, “Scope Creep!” Oh, BTDT so many times. Bureaucrats either never knew the project triangle or have forgotten them. The triangle: Time, Money, Requirements. Change any one of those three and the other shift accordingly.
It gets more interesting when you receive conflicting requirements.
I remember reading about a Congressman, in the 1930s, who wanted to pass a law making Pi = 3.14. He declared all those extra digits weren’t needed.
Just because you want it, won’t make it happen.
Carteach- Yep
eia- Concur!
PE- I remember reading that story and being amazed he got away with it!!!
PH- Yep, ‘handwriting’ on the wall…
Les- it is 🙂 and re the TIs, I was using one back in the mid-70s, and we got the Navy to buy them!!!
WSF- You are correct Sir- Fleet Admiral Sergey Gorshkov!
Gerry- THAT was a cheap one… sigh
Earl- Good points all!
Tim- Short supply??? How bout NO supply???
Dirk- As they say today, ‘unpossible’… sigh
Crucis- Yep, that triangle can get awfully funny looking…
What’s the saying: you can have it good, fast or cheap; pick two.
Sadly, this is not an issue isolated to the government. It happens with any leadership that can not weigh outcomes and make decisions. It’s just that in government those leaders don’t usually feel the negatives that come from their indecisiveness.
Jimmy Carter re-run, writ large.
NFO, I guess we ARE getting old because we are now seeing history repeat itself.
–AOA
No, you can have all three of your cost and time analysis is correct. Sadly, few do those last two tasks well.
Andy/Crucis- For the Government, what Andy says is true, for the real world, what Crucis says ‘can’ be true…
AOA- We are… dammit…
Ah, yes….the WWII German tanks.
As Stalin put it “QUANTITY has a Quality all it’s own”!
“K.I.S.S.”
“Add lightness.”
And most radical “Ask the end user.”
There are no more Kelly Johnsons or John Moses Brownings. Only boards and bureaus.
I think I’ll go clean my 1911 and Winchesters.