And then on the other hand…

And then just after I get all depressed about the QDR wimping out, I come across this:
“Gordon England, the acting deputy defense secretary, is weighing far-reaching changes to the Pentagon’s complex acquisition system that include empowering the combatant commanders—rather than the military services—to dictate requirements for new weapon systems. ”
(via Defense Budget Alert)

Getting the acquisitions process into alignment with warfighter’s actual needs is important and if this is going to help move us towards that, hey, I’m stoked.

But wait, there’s more:
“The panel also will call for the Pentagon to make changes to the process for testing new weapon systems by determining not only whether a new capability is operationally suitable or operationally effective, but whether it is operationally useful.”

Anything that will help us focus on operational usefulness is good in my book.

Back to the Future?

This is upsetting me:
“The Pentagon, in a major four-year decision, has decided to stick with having the capability of being able to fight two major conflicts at once…
…The 2005 QDR, two sources said, generally will endorse the current military strategy known as ‘1421.’
…The Pentagon is not likely to terminate any major weapons systems for the 2005 QDR…”

Looks like the 2005 QDR might devolve instead of evolving. This, combined with recent noises that personnel might be cut in order to save weapons systems, is showing just how entrenched the Cold War-era Big War crowd is.

Armchair Generalist has already touched on this, and he has another great post up today.