Pentagon reforms may stifle needed innovation

From the event “Defense Procurement for the 21st Century: Balancing Soldier Safety with Cost Savings” hosted by the Hudson Institute:

Critics claim that the defense procurement process is inefficient: it often places too much emphasis on the lowest cost and hampers innovation in the defense sector. In the current budget climate, with significant calls for defense budget reductions, reforming defense spending may be counterproductive. Should short-term cost savings drive defense reform or should defense policy reformers seek a broader overhaul that might incorporate effectiveness standards for equipment and new technologies, including combat effectiveness, portability, and resilience?

Hudson Institute was pleased to host a panel discussion of these significant issues. Panelists included General Thomas Hill (ret.), former commander of the U.S. Southern Command; Captain Tim Holden (ret), former Navy SEAL; and Thomas Donnelly, Resident Fellow and Director, Center for Defense Studies, AEI. Seth Cropsey, a Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and former Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, moderated the discussion.

I played highlights of the event on my show today. Click here to watch the entire event.

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