Q&A · 58:38-1:00:02

Capability criteria before platform detail

A viable defence investment plan should publish firm decision criteria without pretending every future platform choice can be settled in advance.

Question

What minimum information must a defence investment plan contain to be a viable statement?

Short answer

It should state firm capability and investment criteria, then select the available systems that meet them instead of promising paper designs years away.

Notes

A useful plan should define the criteria by which competing systems will be judged. That keeps it out of premature platform detail while making later choices accountable. Waiting for a theoretically superior design can leave the force empty if war arrives before production begins. The practical test is whether an available system meets the stated need and can produce usable capability in time.