Jun 12, 2024 · 48 min
This episode covers the history of the Polaris missile system, which was a key development in the Cold War that provided the United States with a submarine-launched ballistic missile capability. Madeline Zimmermann, an expert on defense acquisition, talks through the many trials and tribulations, broken rules, unusual bureaucracy-defeating strategies and a lot more. We cover: - Background on the development of ballistic missiles and the nuclear triad during the early stages of the Cold War - The Navy's struggle to establish its own ballistic missile program, leading to the creation of the Special Projects Office (SPO) for the Polaris project - The innovative management and acquisition practices used by the SPO, including decentralization, competition among contractors, and flexible requirements - The role of strong leadership and the creation of the Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) as a bureaucratic cover for the project's success - Lessons from the Polaris program that can be applied to modern defense acquisition, such as encouraging competition among buyers, resisting monopsony, and emphasizing leadership accountability Visit the Typhoon Bearing website: typhoonbearing.substack.com Support the show here: https://usnavalhistorypodcast.com/#/portal/signup Email me at: typhoonbearing@gmail.com Follow me on IG: @USNavyPodcast Follow me on Twitter: @ChaseHDalton Please also share, rate, and subscribe to help the show grow. Madeline's Kinetic Reviews Substack: https://kinetic.reviews/