Of course, the project also has upset China, at a time when tensions are rising in the Taiwan Straits. In short, the French Naval Group attack class was evolutionary, not revolutionary, lacking any major new capabilities. The French offering was not competitive. In addition, the French project was over budget, increasing tension and stress between the buyer and seller, and prompting the search for a new acquisition strategy.
These side effects, though perhaps surmountable, present challenging technical problems yet to be solved while meeting all the project goals. Photo used by permission of UK Ministry of Defence. That is the question. This berthing advantage will contribute to a more sustainable weapon system capable of longer deployments. The prudent baseline approach may be to settle for the conventional speed torpedo in order to avoid the side effects of incorporating the advanced technology supercavitation torpedo.
Here we lack experience based on iterations of usage. While speed is nice to have, stealth is a necessity and cannot be traded off. Better may be the enemy of good enough. The rubber or synthetic crystal polymer tiles contain thousands of tiny dimples and are applied to the hulls of submarines to absorb sound emissions and improve noise and vibration management. The problem lies in the effectiveness and durability of the glue that attaches the tiling to the hull. The glue may give way under environmental conditions, including large temperature swings, pressures at 1, feet below the surface, and the friction of moving under water.
The weak link is Australia, although its proximity to China ensures its participation. Australia lacks the knowledge, skills, and behaviors in nuclear engineering to lead in designing, building, integrating, testing, evaluating, and operating a nuclear-propelled submarine fleet focused on stealth and sustainability.
The planned month study is unlikely to remedy the situation. A seasoned software engineering manager, technologist, and independent consultant, he has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Reproduction or reposting of articles from Defense Acquisition magazine should credit the author and the magazine. Acquisition teams must deal with advanced technologies, challenging operational environments, frequent policy changes, fiscal uncertainty, evolving threats, and changing requirements.
Stakeholders demand we go faster and deliver high quality systems that are supportable and easy to maintain. Unfortunately, program progress often will deviate from the program plan, necessitating adjustments to stay on track.
Duct tape seems to be one of the more popular workaround tools to fix everything from a hole in a garden hose to a broken snow shovel. The workaround may be a temporary fix until we can employ a more suitable or enduring solution. Given the many unexpected events in defense acquisition, effective workarounds can help program teams avoid costly work stoppages and maintain progress.
However, the temporary fix can be critical in allowing the effort or task to continue, even if it is not an optimal solution. The unexpected aspect is important because it suggests we do not have the luxury of planning well in advance. Unlike risk mitigation plans that anticipate negative events, the need for a workaround is difficult to forecast. During the first Gulf War in , distributing the Air Tasking Order ATO to the execution organizations was challenging due to communications and interoperability issues.
The ATO disseminates a comprehensive listing of air missions for a hour cycle and includes the aircraft, call signs, times, and other mission information needed for coordinated air operations. This workaround kept a major program moving forward, enabling deployment of a critical capability on schedule and within budget.
The program was a command-and-control aircraft upgrade to the mission system, sensors, and communications. As background, the initial estimates for software required to perform the mission system functions were an order of magnitude lower than what was needed late in development. Unfortunately, due to technical, budget, and schedule constraints and the original software load estimates, the mission computing design could not be upgraded during development, leaving a critical system deficiency unresolved.
The possibility of delaying the program until implementation of this major design change would threaten support for the program, even to the point of a possible termination. We knew that some of the tests were successful so some mission scenarios must have prevented excessive stress.
After detailed analysis, we believed the system could function without crashing if the users followed prescribed procedures to limit processing demand. The workaround simply involved running fewer applications on the mission system. While not an optimal solution, it enabled operational use and subsequent fielding of an initial capability. This collaborative effort involved multiple stakeholders, including senior acquisition decision makers, contractors, program offices, testers, resource sponsors, and users.
It resulted in a path forward for the program to deploy on schedule with a release contingent on implementing the design change. A notional process model illustrates these steps Figure 1. Tailoring these steps, including skipping and conducting steps concurrently, is appropriate based on the situation. Part of this overall problem analysis includes Steps 2 and 3.
Note the feedback loop as more information becomes available. Constraints e. As highlighted in the previous example, leveraging existing data to analyze both the cause of the problem and potential mitigating steps can help identify alternatives. Models and other program evaluation tools can help accelerate this step. A thorough job of problem analysis will help facilitate this step. Initial testing may involve simulations and data analysis rather than live testing in an operational environment.
Initial implementation may also involve testing and data gathering to verify the workaround works as expected. A feedback loop is depicted that represents the additional data collected after the workaround is implemented.
This data helps to refine the workaround and helps inform requirements and design features for the long-term fix. We attempt to optimize the long-term solution with the data and user feedback associated with the workaround.
As the Einstein quote suggests, we should prioritize time for analyzing the problem versus analyzing solutions. A full understanding of the problem will lead to quicker and more effective solutions. Please navigate to the Getting Back-to-Basics resources page , scroll down to the functional area you wish to view, and select the Training Crosswalk link underneath. The current FY21 certification requirements will continue to display in the iCatalog until February 1, Education and experience requirements can be found in the DAU iCatalog.
The below list displays a set of curated courses for those who want to become more proficient in Program Management. Welcome to the Program Management Functional Gateway.
The Center is responsible for the integration management of acquisition and program management learning assets and learning products for the Program Management functional area and related knowledge areas. I am responsible for maintaining the corresponding topics assigning a learning asset portfolio to responsible Learning Directors LD. Responsibilities of each LD include the continuous assessment, documentation, and reporting of the currency, quality, and relevancy to their assigned learning assets and products.
In this capacity, we communicate with the respective leaders and offices involved in the management of acquisition workforce competencies, as well as formulation of acquisition policy, processes and procedures. DAU is more than just training. Here's a look at all the other resources we have for the workforce.
Was this page helpful? Is there a list of pre-approved courses that meet the ACE college credit recommendation? Note: Some courses are bundled in order to meet the ACE credit recommendation criteria. Please click here for more information. For more information about CLP policies click here. Yes — DAU has several strategic partnerships with other institutions.
DAU students may search our interactive database for partners in their area offering credits for DAU courses. This allows students to obtain necessary degrees for career advancement at institutions near their home station. Prospective partners can search the database for current DAU partners with which they have already worked.
Yes — The certification programs supported by DAU are unique to the DoD and based on both the student meeting training standards and educational and experience standards. This may be accomplished through any of the two following options:. Equivalency Program: Several training providers offer courses deemed equivalent to DAU curriculum courses, and these courses can be used to meet certification requirements.
For further information, please Click Here. Fulfillment Program: Through an assessment of the student's past training and experience regardless of the course , DoD components may approve a fulfillment request from the student. Such approval certifies that the student possesses the knowledge, skills and abilities that would otherwise have been gained by attending the DAU course. For more information, please Click Here. Since the authority to validate a Defense Acquisition workforce member's training has been delegated to the DoD agencies and components, you may consult your Acquisition Training Office ATO for further assistance with the assessment and transfer process.
The certificate is auto generated upon completion of specific course s for the International Acquisition Career Path. Detailed information is available by clicking here. No you do not. DAU does not issue a certificate for the Requirements Management career path. Once you've met the Requirements for Level A, B, C, or D, the training certificate you receive for completing the course s will be a representation of the Requirements Management Career Path.
If you have additional questions, please contact the appropriate POC below for further assistance.
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