"Sometimes we are penny wise and pound foolish..."
Before I start, a bit of disclosure. I worked on the Crusader Program from the time it was known as AFAS (Advanced Field Artillery System). Even though my background is Navy, and most of the programs I have worked on have been Navy related, I understood the need for this advanced ground system for the United States Army.
In battle, a game changer, a force multiplier, is often a very effective artillery system. It has been that way for many years. The United States has an adequate system in its inventory, known as the M109A6 Paladin. This system can fire one 155mm round per minute at a range of 30km. Not bad. However, not good enough. It was dated and could not compete with systems being developed in other countries.
Enter this new program called AFAS. It was Paladin on steroids. Like Paladin, it would use a 155mm round. Unlike Paladin, it could fire 10 - 12 rounds per minute, and send them 40km down range. It was faster and more maneuverable. In addition, it had an amazing plus. Due to a very sophisticated on board fire control computer, it could fire 8 rounds per minute at different azimuths, which would allow them to detonate on target simultaneously. This made the lethality of the AFAS unbelievable.
In the mid 90's it was full speed ahead for the Army. AFAS was now given the name Crusader, and advanced development had been given the green light. Teams consisting of many big defense contractors were formed, and money from Washington was pouring in. The program was given a $11B budget and most everyone wanted a piece of the action.
However, development problems continued to plague this very technical program. After sinking $2B into development, the Defense Department saw the hand writing on the wall. On May 8, 2002, the Secretary of Defense cancelled the program. The remaining $9B which was to be spent on Crusader, would now be reallocated to other programs.
This program is a classic example of the disconnect between need and execution. Right now, we would love to have a group of Crusaders near the DMZ in South Korea. After Desert Storm, we knew the limitations of the Paladin. Those limitations still exist. We had our chance to develop a system which would have served us well into the 21st century. I met some of the smartest people I ever worked with on Crusader. But now it is gone, the people are gone, and the chances of seeing something like this again in our lifetime is zero.
The next time someone tells you there is no waste in the Pentagon, remind them of Crusader. There are many more programs with tales like Crusader, but this one is fresh in my memory and experience. We can do better, we must do so much better.
Enter this new program called AFAS. It was Paladin on steroids. Like Paladin, it would use a 155mm round. Unlike Paladin, it could fire 10 - 12 rounds per minute, and send them 40km down range. It was faster and more maneuverable. In addition, it had an amazing plus. Due to a very sophisticated on board fire control computer, it could fire 8 rounds per minute at different azimuths, which would allow them to detonate on target simultaneously. This made the lethality of the AFAS unbelievable.
In the mid 90's it was full speed ahead for the Army. AFAS was now given the name Crusader, and advanced development had been given the green light. Teams consisting of many big defense contractors were formed, and money from Washington was pouring in. The program was given a $11B budget and most everyone wanted a piece of the action.
However, development problems continued to plague this very technical program. After sinking $2B into development, the Defense Department saw the hand writing on the wall. On May 8, 2002, the Secretary of Defense cancelled the program. The remaining $9B which was to be spent on Crusader, would now be reallocated to other programs.
This program is a classic example of the disconnect between need and execution. Right now, we would love to have a group of Crusaders near the DMZ in South Korea. After Desert Storm, we knew the limitations of the Paladin. Those limitations still exist. We had our chance to develop a system which would have served us well into the 21st century. I met some of the smartest people I ever worked with on Crusader. But now it is gone, the people are gone, and the chances of seeing something like this again in our lifetime is zero.
The next time someone tells you there is no waste in the Pentagon, remind them of Crusader. There are many more programs with tales like Crusader, but this one is fresh in my memory and experience. We can do better, we must do so much better.
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