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The National Missile Defense (NMD) Program is the first Ballistic Missile Defense organization (BMDO) program to apply the perspective and use of affordability objectives on a major program. NMD's affordability objective is to acquire the 'best value' for the NMD acquisition program. Historical DoD cost data indicates a major weapon system's development cost is approximately 10% of the system's total LCC. From the development phase on, any program is subject to 'cost over run,' and the attendant misinformation and adverse publicity that could lead to program cancellation. NMD's affordability challenge is to accurately project incremental program cost to accommodate any and all NMD program 'unknowns.'

Money spent on Weapon systems always has another use alternative. The United States procures weapons system to provide for National Security, from which every citizen benefits. All weapons systems have affordability choices. Weapon system affordability always conjures up an old debate of 'cost effectiveness at the margin.' Defense, at the lowest cost, always applies to all DOD acquisition and technology programs. From DoD's perspective, the ballistic missile defense network has to deal with the offensive weapon's major advantage of surprise. The question of how few ABM defensive locations are necessary to defeat the adversary's threat, is an affordability tradeoff issue balanced by engineering and system technology capabilities. These tradeoffs stress the DOD Acquisition Reform initiative's underlying impetus on affordability. NMD Program Management implemented DOD acquisition reform initiatives and strategies to manage for acquisition excellence and program balance during NMD's capability development and deployment planning phase. This includes measurable (affordable) characteristics of key enabling technologies for cost breaking improvements in production, procurement, support, and operations. The DOD Program Manager should have latitude for initiatives in the way the defense capability is built so that it appears as a cost-effective and affordable technology solution to a given threat. There is no affordable solution to developing an ABM defense capability unless technology can develop one., Prepared in collaboration with SAIC, CSF, Arlington, VA.

The author feels it is time to start identifying who is to operate the National Missile Defense (NMD) System, and to provide a small cadre with facilities at or near the treaty compliant Anti Ballistic Missile site. The authority to accomplish this is under the purview of the Director, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDD). The paper includes justification for a 'pathfinder' deployment concept tied to current strategy, cost tradeoff, and operational user involvement. The major objective is to reduce the amount of time it takes to deploy a NMD contingency deployment.The goal is to accomplish and fulfill the BMDD vision for an emergency deployment within two years. Actual expense for the 'pathfinder' concept is not a consideration at this time other than to minimize the costs prior to a deployment decision. The recommendation is to approve resources to allow development of the emergency deployment concept. (KAR) P. 3