Pentagon acquisition chief John Young this week unveiled a new policy aimed at reversing a trend of weapon systems failing key performance tests and exceeding initial cost estimates for operating them. In a two-page July 21 memo, Young laid out the tenets of a "reliability, availability, and maintainability" policy slated for inclusion in the Defense Department's overarching acquisition guidance document known as "DOD Instruction 5000.2." According to a Pentagon definition, reliability measures how long a system is capable of operating...
