A Case Study in NASA-DoD - The Black Vault

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However, a considerable body of experience--both good and bad--
has been gained with a similar attempts to undertake co-production and
co-development programs. The organizational content of such experiences
should be evaluated as an input to the formulation of a decision criterion
for DoD's participation in future multinational procurement programs.
A large number of case studies are available: the Multi-Role
Combat Aircraft, the A-300 airbus, the Concorde, the MBT-70 tank, the
space shuttle laboratory module, the F-16, and the INTELSAT communications
satellite. In analyzing this experience, one should attempt to identify
the various approaches used to ensure the cooperation and the principal
factors of each, and to assess the contribution of these factors to the
success or failure of the cooperative effort.
In summary, neither of the situations (cited above as potentially
interesting areas where either interagency or international cooperation
is important) satisfies both of the essential categories of factors
underlying the successful experience with cooperation between NASA and
DoD. Consequently, the NASA-DoD experience does not seem to apply
directly; however, the first step in the research approach outlined for
both situations suggests the applicability of the organizational analysis
presented in this report for the NASA-DoD situation to a variety of other
situations where interagency or international cooperation has been a
major component. To the extent that the NASA-DoD experience contributes
to this body of knowledge in interagency cooperation, it can be directly
useful for these new situations.