Business Process Review of Rocket Motors
Streamlining the Rocket Motor Process to Improve Missile Acquisitions
In March 2007, the Concept Decision (CD) Review of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) directed the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (DUSD) for Acquisition and Technology (A&T) to lead a Business Process Review to determine whether the projected 54-60 month development/certification time for rocket motors can be streamlined.
The goal is to reduce the cycle time for rocket motor development and certification and the missile acquisition process in general. The Department has never taken-on such a comprehensive look at this process. As such, this review is timely and should result in significant changes that will enable us to deliver capability to the Warfighter faster.
The Business Process Review Approach
Led by the DUSD (A&T) Office of Portfolio Systems Acquisition (PSA), the Business Process Review of Rocket Motors was launched in January 2008 and is scheduled for completion in September 2008. The review has initially been structured within the following parameters:
- Applies a total systems approach, including the process for qualifying the energetics, the rocket motor and air-worthiness for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing launched aircraft.
- Focuses first on a process for joint weapons development, with the expectation that improvements will be extended to all DoD weapons development efforts.
- Looks at all processes from CD to Initial Operational Capability.
- Recognizes the inherent complexity of this highly specialized technical area.
- Considers opportunities to spiral-in and prove-out new concepts in the course of the JAGM acquisition.
Initial Accomplishments
- Gained buy-in from the Service Acquisition Executives and the Missile Defense Agency to establish and support a DoD Rocket Motor Integrated Product Team (IPT).
- Established the Rocket Motor IPT as a Joint Service forum, chaired by the Deputy Director, PSA, Land Warfare & Munitions, to initiate and steer the review. IPT is comprised of weapons and platform Program Executive Officers from each Service, the Missile Defense Agency and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
- Gained approval from the Rocket Motor IPT for a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) project and methodology for the review. LSS project scoped to focus on solid-fueled, tactical rocket motors.
- Assembled a nationwide group of subject matter experts from the Service headquarters and laboratories to form a LSS project team.
- Developed process maps to baseline existing Service processes.