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2. Uncertainty project in variety of ways. Equipment may have to meet
Arises when there is lack of data needed to make service wide technical standards to facilitate the
reliable predictions of performance requirements, cost logistics of ammunition and fuel supply, optimize
or time schedule or other significant project elements, support arrangements or change interoperability.
since reliable data comes only from experience, novelty
means high uncertainty. 5. Resource Limitations
It is crucial that a project be provided with adequate
Equations of science such as aerodynamics, financial and human resource, budgetary pressures,
hydrodynamics, propellant and explosive chemistry commonly and results in position of project cost
may be intermediate in practice, scientist must rely to ceilings. Cost ceilings are determined a prior, instead of
some extent on past experience of works and what being the outcome of project analysis. When it become
doesn’t works, the uncertainty may also affect apparent that the project is underfunded, it tends to be
performance requirements. Expected contingencies, treated in various ways to overcome the shortfall.
threat levels, and evolution of military technology are Capability, quantity and provision for support are
subject to continual change which can invalidate the traded off against cost.
assumption on which performance specifications are
Given the diversity of defence acquisition projects and
based.
variety of risk factors there is no universal acquisition
3. Complexity policy. Each one has to be framed with close attention
Modern weapons systems have become so complex that to characterize a project. A prudent acquisition policy
all parties involved can barely comprehend them. will set out to minimize inherent project risk but this
Weapons systems software, for example may comprise must be done be open eyes.
a million or more lines of computer code and those
software applications are built on foundations of The uncertainty inherent in major projects and
operating systems and compilers that are even larger numerous risk mean that few projects will escape
perceived failures if they are accessed in terms of
and less comprehensible.
conventional “iron triangle” of expectations of time,
4. Interdependence cost and scope. The best of project managers will be
No defence project is an island. The requirement of unable to avoid this but with right approach they will
interoperability between services, and with allies affects be able to produce worthwhile results.
Shubham Dasgupta
B.Tech. Production, VJTI
dasguptashubham1710@gmail.com
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