What are common aims of defense acquisition reform in the context of strategic competition?

• A. Accelerate fielding, ensure resilience, improve transparency, align with priorities and partner capabilities.
• B. Slow fielding to ensure thorough testing.
• C. Reduce transparency to protect strategic advantages.
• D. Disregard partner capabilities.

Answer: (D)

In strategic competition, defense acquisition reform aims to move quickly and reliably deliver capable systems while ensuring they can operate under pressure and in contested environments. Accelerating fielding gets new capabilities into service sooner, which is crucial when pacing rivals matters as much as technical excellence. Building resilience means systems can withstand and adapt to shocks—whether from cyber attacks, anti-access environments, or supply-chain disruptions—so they remain effective when needed. Improving transparency supports better oversight, risk management, and informed decisions across the department and with partners, helping to align investments with real-world priorities and constraints. Aligning investments with national priorities and with partner capabilities ensures interoperability and makes the most of allied strengths, enhancing deterrence and coalition effectiveness. Disregarding partner capabilities would undermine coalition operations and shared deterrence, which is contrary to the strategic purpose of reform. Slower fielding or reduced transparency would also weaken competitiveness and collaboration, so those approaches don’t fit the aims.