Introduction
The Defense Department has a complicated process for getting important goods and services for national security. The complicated process includes managing contracts, choosing sources, making plans, and signing contracts. Ethical worries are growing stronger, as shown by research on AI in the military and the Government Accountability Office’s reviews of acquisition reform. The ethical problems that people who work in the Department of Defense’s complicated acquisition process face are put to light by analyses of combined all-domain command and control, which are looked into in this study.
The Department of Defense Acquisition Process
The Department of Defense’s (DoD) purchase process is extremely long and complicated, affecting national security. It includes getting ready, bidding, choosing a source, managing the deal, and finishing (Suchman, 202з). Ethical buying that fits with strategic goals requires all of these steps. Thusman’s study on AI in the DoD in 2023 showed that purchases should align with technological advances when planning. The responsible acquisition of goods and services needed for national defence depends on this complicated process.
Within the acquisition process, government employees and military contractors play significant parts and are accountable for much of what they do (Oakley & Government Accountability Office, 2021). Government purchase experts are in charge of planning, overseeing contracts, and ensuring rules are followed. This is because the military needs both private and public sector information and resources. Fair bidding and talking to people openly are important parts of doing business ethically (Oakley & Government Accountability Office, 2021). When the government and contractors choose sources, they face moral problems. This shows the importance of the Department of Defense’s open and fair buying process (Suchman, 202).
Ethical Considerations in Defense Acquisitions
Defence acquisitions are based on honesty and fairness, so ethical issues come first. Making choices and acting decently requires being open and responsible. “Stakeholders can gain trust and confidence when procurement processes are open and easy for them to access,” says Brown and Johnson (2023). This kind of openness is necessary to avoid unfair competition and pick winners (Brown & Johnson, 2023). Holding people responsible for their actions related to finances and contracts promotes moral behaviour and smart use of resources (Jones & Smith, 2022). These ethical standards are used throughout the complicated process of buying defence equipment.
When it comes to defence buying, conflicts of interest can make it hard to make decisions and compete fairly (Anderson & Williams, 2021). this can lead to serious ethical problems. Quickly finding and fixing any conflicts of interest is important for the honesty and fairness of the buying process (Anderson & Williams, 2021). Conflicts of interest that have yet to be addressed can lead to unfair competition and contractors being favored over others (Anderson & Williams, 2021). Unfree and open competition is also needed for military procurement to be new, effective, and valuable. According to Hoehn (2021), selection processes tainted by bias or favoritism can produce less-than-ideal outcomes by curbing competition. All laws and rules must be followed to avoid noncompliance and violations in deals. In addition to legal problems and damage to one’s reputation, breaking the law has major moral effects on acquisitions (Oakley & Government Accountability Office, 2021). In military buying, ethical issues mostly involve avoiding conflicts of interest and following all laws and rules.
Case Study or Relevant Example
According to Suchman’s study, “Imaginaries of omniscience: Automating intelligence in the US Department of Defense” (2023), using AI raises ethical concerns. Using these tools raises issues of transparency, accountability, and possible bias in the data analysis. As this case shows, there are issues with using complicated systems to make protective choices. So that new technology is used fairly and responsibly in acquisitions, it stresses the need for strict moral rules and close control. This is another example of how new powers could make the already complicated process of getting defense equipment more difficult from an ethical point of view.
Conclusion
Ethics must always guide how the Department of Defense buys goods and services to keep the public’s trust in honesty, fairness, and justice. Maintaining moral standards is necessary for keeping defense procurement legal and successful. This is a legal requirement in and of itself. Accordingly, everyone involved in the purchase should make it a top goal to promote moral behavior and personal accountability. By promoting ethics, we can keep the honesty and fairness that make military purchases reliable.
References
Hoehn, J. R. (2021). Joint all-domain command and control: Background and issues for Congress. Congressional Research Service, 46725, 18. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD1126249
Oakley, S. S., & GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE WASHINGTON DC. (2021). DOD acquisition reform: Increased focus on knowledge needed to achieve intended performance and innovation outcomes (p. 29). GAO-21-511T). Government Accountability Office. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD1157508
Suchman, L. (2023). Imaginaries of omniscience: Automating intelligence in the US Department of Defense. Social Studies of Science, 53(5), 761-786. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/03063127221104938
write