Alan Shaffer, deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said the Pentagon is employing a middle-tier procurement approach for systems that can undergo rapid development, C4ISRNet reported Monday.
He talked about the importance of low-cost systems in electronic warfare and the Department of Defense’s efforts to rapidly prototype these technologies.
“If I’m demonstrating a capability using middle tier of acquisition, I can go quickly, especially if you have open systems,†Shaffer said at an Association of Old Crows international symposium in Washington, D.C.
The Congress granted DoD the authority to rapidly prototype technologies applicable to mid-tier procurement, creating a development process tailored for smaller systems.
He also noted the difference between middle-tier procurement and multi-billion-dollar programs that wouldn’t usually undergo rapid development.
“We’ve got to stop doing just one-size-fits-everything for development of new systems and fielding capabilities,” Shaffer noted.
