The Nett Warrior System: A Case Study for the Acquisition of Soldier Systems

Abstract

This project provides an analysis of the Army's acquisition of the Nett Warrior (NW) soldier system. Its objectives are to document the legacy of the system and provide an overview of how acquisition strategy has adapted with respect to key acquisition elements since its inception on September 8, 1993. The product is a document that provides an analysis of the actions taken and the obstacles encountered and how the warfighters, user representatives, materiel developers, and lawmakers dealt with them. The NW need was approved in February 2009. The requirement was to provide improvements for dismounted soldiers in the five specific capability categories of lethality, command and control, mobility, survivability, and sustainment. For a period lasting approximately 20 years, the NW has evolved. Despite the Army's decision to terminate the Land Warrior, the predecessor to the Nett Warrior system, in FY 2007, the NW's foundation for follow-on soldier system initiatives had been established. The success of NW will depend on the program's ability to incorporate soldier-driven design requirements, commercial technology, and thorough system testing.