A Study on the Application of Quality Control Techniques in the Rapid Acquisition of Weapon Systems

Purpose: The traditional defense acquisition process, designed for minimizing risk, often suffers from excessive time consumption, hindering the timely deployment of advanced weapon systems. As global security dynamics accelerate, nations, including the Republic of Korea (ROK), have introduced Rapid Acquisition Programs to field essential capabilities quickly. This shift, however, necessitates a fundamental change in total quality management (TQM) paradigms. This study investigates viable methods for applying effective TQM techniques within the ROK's rapid acquisition framework, balancing the imperative for speed with the non-negotiable requirement for system quality and reliability.Methods: The research methodology includes a comparative analysis of foreign rapid acquisition QM cases, such as the U.S. Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA), The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s urgent operational requirements (UORs) process and an assessment of current domestic practices through expert interviews and surveys. To conduct a survey on the current status and development direction of the rapid acquisition project (rapid requirement/rapid pilot), the survey consisted of 35 questions divided into four categories (basic information, awareness of the rapid acquisition project, quality assurance cases, development plans and improvement directions).Results: Successful rapid acquisition necessitates a flexible, tailored, and risk-adjusted quality oversight model that focuses on critical-to-mission parameters rather than rote compliance with a broad, uniform standard. The introduction of a Rapid Acquisition Process for Weapon Systems is only possible when it is based on the establishment of a world-class quality management system and is accompanied by the strategic vision of the top leader, strong leadership, and an organizational culture committed to fostering a powerful military force.Conclusion: This thesis proposes an integrated QM model that links Systems Engineering (SE) Technical Reviews with the selective use of Manufacturing Readiness Assessment (MRA) and introduces structured Quality Control Gates (QCGs) tailored to the project's risk profile and rapid timeline. The QCG framework emphasizes the assessment of core quality attributes and critical items rather than comprehensive checks. Based on this model, the study derives institutional improvement plans, including specific revisions to the ROK Defense Acquisition Quality Management Regulations, to ensure that the Quality Assurance Agency can efficiently conduct quality activities based on the finalized Configuration Identification Document while maximizing speed and efficiency.