JASmith Wrote:The "right messengers" are possibly more critical than excellent tests. These are folks who, when convinced of the value of a new idea, can influence folks who control money in industry and government. They can take our test results and coarse analyses to the right folks and give the system a chance.More than that, you need to convince Army leadership, especially the Chief of Staff. A determined CSA can push through a project, even if not needed. Stryker infantry vehicle is a prime example. GEN Shinseki really wanted it, and said it was needed because the Army did not then have an air-deployable, light-armored, infantry carrier. That was a blatant lie, because the M113 was (and still is) in the inventory, and holds the same number of infantrymen...and can be carried on C-5 and C17 transports in greater numbers than can Stryker. Despite that, Shinseki got Stryker rammed through the acquisition process, and fielded.
The moral to the story: If you want something adopted, get the CSA in love with it.
"Nothing is ever as good as what we've got if they decide not to spend the money. Of course if they really want something then what we're going after surpasses whatever we've got, regardless of test results."