Defense Procurement for the 21st Century: Balancing Soldier Safety with Cost Savings

Critics claim that the defense procurement process is inefficient: it often places too much emphasis on the lowest cost and hampers innovation in the defense sector. In the current budget climate, with significant calls for defense budget reductions, reforming defense spending may be counterproductive. Should short-term cost savings drive defense reform or should defense policy reformers seek a broader overhaul that might incorporate effectiveness standards for equipment and new technologies, including combat effectiveness, portability, and resilience?