Defense Acquisitions: How DoD Acquires Weapon Systems and Recent Efforts to Reform the Process

The Department of Defense (DOD) acquires goods and services from contractors, federal arsenals, and shipyards to support military operations. Acquisition is a broad term that applies to more than just the purchase of an item or service; the acquisition process encompasses the design, engineering, construction, testing, deployment, sustainment, and disposal of weapons or related items purchased from a contractor. As set forth by statute and regulation, from concept to deployment, a weapon system must go through a three-step process of identifying a required (needed) weapon system, establishing a budget, and acquiring the system. These three steps are organized as follows: 1. The Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) - for identifying requirements. 2. The Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution System (PPBE) - for allocating resources and budgeting. 3. The Defense Acquisition System (DAS) - for developing and/or buying the item.