Five Failures and Counting, Case Study Example

This case study surrounds an assessment of military testing on aviation protocol. As noted in the case study, the system of control of diversion and Position (Divert and attitude control system (DACS) of the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) provides a rapid response of propulsion system reaction that allow you to position the THAAD missile for the interception of white. The DACS provides two types of propulsion, one lets you control the forwarding and the other lets you maneuver the interceptor. The Position Control System (Attitude Control System (ACS) employs six thrusters to allow control of the pan, tilt, and the awarded with the vertical of the interceptor. These thrusters can act combined differently to allow a perfect fit of the field of view of the interceptor for the white. The data captured by the monitoring system of the interceptor are analyzed and translated into commands of position control or diversion and activate the boosters of the most appropriate way. The proponents of position emit small pulses to position perfectly compared to the THAAD interceptor possible collisions. (Meredith 2012)

After reviewing the case study, I would have to agree that this was the subject of a project audit. Although there are financial variables discussed in the case study, they are not the primary focus. The primary focus appears to be the functional status of the military weapons performance; specifically, the missiles that are often mentioned. There are many contracts discussed between the THAAD, DCMA, and TPO, as well as stakeholders and sub-contractors. This would suggest that the case study if based on the military missiles projects and not the subject of a financial or management audit. (Meredith 2012) (Chaplin 2012)

The case study suggests that the purpose of this audit was to be a post-project control. The end of the case study discusses the strategy of the THAAD system and how they plan to have their weapons systems accessible to the US Army soldiers as quickly as they can in an affordable manner. This would suggest the element of a post-project control. (Spring 2011)

The production of new vehicles of this type and the inclusion of new technology as noted in the case study would have been completed between 1998 and 1999. As a result, for the year 2000, the USA would have a system of operational assessment (User Operational Evaluation System (UOES) with a total of 10 KE-ASAT prepared for use in case of need, which would involve a total cost of $205 million invested between FY96 and FY99, distributed in 30 million in FY96, 50 million in FY97, 80 million in FY98, and 45 million in FY99. (Lindstorm 2012)

I think that the whole reason for the audit was to help improve on future projects. There is a major assessment of the project at hand in the case study but it seems as if they are taking the data from the results in order to project future outcomes for military missile projects that are still to come; for the purpose of having the adequate equipment and supplies ready for the military to use. (Meredith 2012)

In another source related to the case study, it is noted that the DACS is a propulsion system for high technology that uses the technological developed in the past 8 years. The development project carried out by the department of engineering needed the design and manufacturing of the DACS, integrated the concepts of integrated production groups to reduce the time devoted to research and improve the quality of the system. The quality required of the DACS required temperature ranges and tolerances of the materials that are downright the minimum, but the experts of Rocket dyne achieved margins up to 3:10000 inches. (Chaplin 2012)

The propellants and other components of DACS passed the rigorous program of tests of Dem/Val, and the tests were satisfactory after several crash tests, in conditions of almost empty, and subjected to extreme temperatures (hot and cold) with which the system should be addressed. Despite this, the THAAD program DACS continues with the quest for improvements of the design and production process to cope with upcoming demands of the Department of Defense. (Meredith 2012)

Although the GAO appeared to be an adequate choice for the audit team, I still would not have trusted the project personnel for the purposes of avoiding any possible conflict of interest. Any audit must be executed precisely without any clouded judgment attributing from trust issues. The primary concept in any audit is trust but verify. Possible underlying problems suggested in the case study might include the strong DOT and E influence that was mentioned in the Program Management Office. It is especially important to avoid underlying problems in a military project such as this one due to the serious nature of military weaponry testing. This is where the importance of a sufficient audit comes into play. Any party can be an auditor from an internal or external perspective. However, any surfacing of underlying problems must be addressed during the process of an audit in order for it to go well. (Meredith 2012)

References

Chaplain, C., Best, D. B., Antone, L. J., Huebler, I., Miller, L., Mulcare, J. A., … & Rivlin, A. (2012). Missile Defense: Opportunity Exists to Strengthen Acquisitions by Reducing Concurrency (No. GAO-12-486). Government Accountability Office Washington Dc.

Lindstrom, G. (2012). 11 NATO Towards an adaptive missile defense.Understanding NATO in the 21st Century: Alliance Strategies, Security and Global Governance, 176.

Meredith, J. R., & Mantel, S. J., Jr. (2012). Project management: A managerial approach (8th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Spring, B. (2011). Steps to Comprehensive Missile Defense Sixteen:. What Should Fund the FY 2012 Budget Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, (2552).