| Jerry McElwee, vice president and program manager, The Boeing Co., Anaheim, Calif., USA, is lead systems integrator for the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems program. The Boeing Co. is the world’s largest manufacturer of satellites, commercial jetliners and military aircraft. Colonel William R. Johnson, project manager, oversees the design, development, deployment and life-cycle support for advanced U.S. Army weapon systems designed for the Objective Force. |
In 1999, Chief of Staff General Erik Shinseki had a vision for transforming the U.S. Army into a force that could better meet the challenges of the 21st century. Despite great agility, the U.S. Army’s light forces lack the heavy firepower needed for sustained battle, and its heavy forces take too long to get to the battlefield. The Army needed a “medium” force that could get manned combat vehicles to any battlefield in the world in 96 hours. This new Objective Force would have speed, agility and the ability to bring in heavy combat vehicles for sustained battle.
The Army’s transformational vision is—quite simply—about change. Long before 11 September, Shinseki recognized the change needed in the project acquisition process. Traditionally, the government awards a platform or system to a single “prime” contractor, which then builds what it can and subcontracts the rest. The relationship between the government and its “prime” has, more often than not, been one of benign adversaries—a working relationship that ensures a system comes in on time and on budget.
Quite often, as the project was moving into the field, new technologies and improvements already had emerged. A new, and often lengthy, procurement contract cycle would start for the upgrade.
Today, an industry partner functions as the lead systems integrator (LSI) for the government. While the LSI role is a management approach, not a type of contract, it significantly impacts procurement within the future combat systems (FCS) program. For the first time, the Boeing Co. and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) are acting as LSI on the FCS program to tackle constraints of the traditional procurement approach.
FCS will serve as the core building block to develop the overmatching combat power, sustainability, agility and versatility necessary for full spectrum military operations. An advanced communications infrastructure is interoperable across the services, agency boundaries and borders.
Beyond the technology challenges, a demanding schedule requires the first unit equipped in 2008, followed by an initial operational capability in 2010. All stakeholders and partners must pull in the same direction, working toward a common goal. An LSI must provide the big-picture, system-of-systems architecture oversight and vision while still managing more than 100 suppliers.
This process will allow the government to get the best technologies into the field faster than under more traditional approaches. The LSI will procure and incorporate new technologies as they emerge. Private industry has the ability to do this quicker and more effectively than the government.
In fact, the FCS program plan already includes the next round (Block II) upgrades and the upgrades after that. This spiral development ensures modern technologies are available.
No one company can provide the domain expertise needed for a program as broad and comprehensive as FCS or a vision as far-reaching as the Objective Force. However, as an honest broker, the LSI seeks out the best of industry for each system, subsystem and component through a series of broad industry announcements. By encouraging competition and commonality across the program, the LSI also will achieve a certain economy of scale.
In the case of FCS, the LSI has built a Web site that provides an equal portal for all companies who want to participate in the program. Boeing and SAIC have firewalls that require their own representatives to enter as outside suppliers.
Many of an LSI’s challenges require cultural changes for both government and industry. On the industry side, an LSI must step outside of its corporate identity. Achieving a true partnership is more likely to be successful without corporate logos and branding across work products.
Within the government, this approach means learning to form open communication channels with counterparts in industry. It also means relinquishing parts of the procurement process to the LSI. These cultural changes will not happen easily or painlessly. All companies must share responsibility and buy-in.
John M. Riggs, director of the Objective Force Task Force, recently remarked that the only way the Objective Force can become a reality, in the time frame laid out, is for all of industry to set aside its squabbling and pull equally toward that goal. Similarly, the various government agencies involved must continue to work together, across territorial boundaries.
Several months into the FCS program, the LSI approach is working well. There are, and always will be, bumps and hurdles to overcome. Other services and agencies are watching the process unfold. Certainly it represents the potential for a new paradigm in arenas other than just the U.S. Army. PM
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