The authors analyze various approaches to speed acquisition of military capabilities and keep pace with evolving threats, assess these approaches' suitability for different conditions and acquisition types, and identify implementation issues.

After decades of near neglect, the Air Force is embarking on a vast modernization of its portion of the nation's nuclear deterrence capabilities--but these activities face a range of challenges. This report identifies and describes means to allay these challenges, with a focus on the integrated planning and preparation for mission success across programs, and special emphasis on the challenges of operational testing and nuclear certification.

This report addresses the challenges the U.S. Air Force faces in mitigating the risks associated with an increasingly globalized weapon supply chain and suggests ways to improve how it addresses such risks.