This type of end game result is SOP in defense contracting. A need arises and becomes a requirement. The requirement turns into a program and from there it goes to hell. Anyone who touches that program wants their mark on it and then you end up with years of development, numerous program managers, unrealistic schedules that are never met, cost over runs driven by new requirements which change program direction and then you end up with a schedule you must meet or the program gets cancelled or under funded so now you have the folks that are schedule driven and in order to meet schedule you water down or waive requirements to meet schedule and you end up with something that doesn't work but hey.. you met your milestones and the hell with requirements. If they get in your way, get rid of them. Solution t that is to tell everyone you met schedule (last schedule put out), DoD says it's a great program knowing it doesn't work and then they throw tons of money at it to try and fix it. This is the acquisition process and we wonder why it fails and cost so much:
I see that poster every day!!
I know of a program that started with a cost estimate of $800,000. It’s just a pilot. A little thing. It was approved to go forward. After approval, the cost estimate ballooned over 400%. So, to save time and money, they decided to not have a requirements document, not have a design document, not to have a Statement of Work (SOW), and not to put any deliverables on contract.
Basic way ahead is to write a big fat check for about $3M to some company and call it a day.
Weapon system acquisition consists of spending money. That’s pretty much the whole story right there. Soup to nuts. Start to finish. They spend money. They may accidentally end up with a weapon system, but they ignore that if they can. The point is that money got spent. That’s the smell of victory.