What are the three milestones of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS)?

What are the three milestones of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS)?

• A. Milestones Alpha, Bravo, Charlie
• B. Milestones A, B, C
• C. Milestones 1, 2, 3
• D. Milestones I, II, III

Answer: (B)

In the Defense Acquisition System, three major decision points guide a program from idea to fielded capability. The first milestone focuses on defining the problem and evaluating potential solutions to see if a materiel approach is viable. The second milestone centers on maturing the essential technologies, reducing risk, and refining the concept into a workable design. The third milestone concentrates on integrating the system, testing it in a realistic setting, and ensuring readiness for production and deployment. These three milestones—Materiel Solution Analysis, Technology Development, and Engineering & Manufacturing Development—are the standard names for the early DAS gates. The other naming schemes (alpha/beta/charlie, numbers, or roman numerals) don’t correspond to these formal milestones.

In the Defense Acquisition System, three major decision points guide a program from idea to fielded capability. The first milestone focuses on defining the problem and evaluating potential solutions to see if a materiel approach is viable. The second milestone centers on maturing the essential technologies, reducing risk, and refining the concept into a workable design. The third milestone concentrates on integrating the system, testing it in a realistic setting, and ensuring readiness for production and deployment.

These three milestones—Materiel Solution Analysis, Technology Development, and Engineering & Manufacturing Development—are the standard names for the early DAS gates. The other naming schemes (alpha/beta/charlie, numbers, or roman numerals) don’t correspond to these formal milestones.