U.S. military procurement coffers were flush with cash in the post-9/11 decade, but the Pentagon missed an opportunity to replace the hardware still being used in the wars spawned by that infamous day.
“In terms of acquisition, I think the post-9/11 decade was a missed opportunity for DOD,” said Todd Harrison, a senior defense budget analyst at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
Harrison said “at least $50 billion was spent on major acquisition programs that were ultimately canceled in development, not including programs that were cut short.”