U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates offers his remarks during the change of command ceremony at Southern Command Headquarters in Miami, Fla., June 25, 2009.DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison
From The Wall Street Journal:
We could afford a stronger military if we implemented some contracting reforms.
When John McCain was shot down over Hanoi in 1967, he was flying an A4 Skyhawk. That jet cost $860,000.
Inflation has risen by 700% since then. So Mr. McCain's A4 cost $6.1 million in 2008 dollars. Applying a generous factor of three for technological improvements, the price for a 2008 Navy F18 fighter should be about $18 million. Instead, we are paying about $90 million for each new fighter. As a result, the Navy cannot buy sufficient numbers. This is disarmament without a treaty.
Read more ....
My Comment: This is the key sentence that struck me.
.... In the private sector, a specific person is always responsible for the success or failure of a program. When it comes to the Pentagon, no one person is held accountable for good performance or punished for failure ....
With no accountability to one's project. No reward or "punishment". What is the incentive to do well. What is the motivation?
New Wars has some additional thoughts on this subject.
Prairie Pundit has some additional comments.