I commend for your reading an intriguing article in the new January 2010 edition of Defense Acquisition Review Journal (ARJ) Magazine. Entitled “Achieving Outcomes-Based Life Cycle Management,” this article offers a comprehensive assessment about the history and present state of DoD weapon system product support and sustainment in general, and weapon system life cycle management in particular. The authors also make some salient points about the future, particularly in view of the November 2009 DoD WSAR Product Support Assessment (PSA) and the establishment of the new Product Support Manager (PSM) in Sec 805 of the FY10 NDAA. 

Article synopsis: “Over the course of 60 years, DoD has attempted to improve its acquisition and life cycle process through a series of incremental changes to address requirements creep, cost growth, funding instability, and technical risk. Unfortunately, these innovations have not improved cost, schedule, or technical performance of DoD programs. Currently, the United States faces significant economic and national security threats from near-peer competitors, rogue states, and transnational terrorist organizations. This multiplicity of threats requires an agile, cost-efficient process to mature and sustain military capabilities. This article explores fundamental changes needed within government and industry to evolve a highly agile and responsive life cycle process. “