Comparison of Defense Acquisition Efficiency in the United States and China

Abstract

"Since the 1950s, China has pursued economic and military dominance, leveraging alliances, intellectual property theft, and rapid technological advancements to strengthen its defense capabilities. Meanwhile, the United States has faced defense industrial base consolidation, bureaucratic stagnation, and prolonged conflicts in the Middle East, challenging its ability to maintain a technological edge. If current trends persist, China could surpass the United States in defense acquisitions. This thesis evaluates whether China is more efficient than the United States in defense acquisition and identifies areas where U.S. acquisition efficiency can improve, regardless of comparison. Using a framework developed in a Naval Postgraduate School thesis, this thesis assigns efficiency scores to both countries across ten acquisition categories. A hypothetical weighting scenario examines how acquisition efficiency might shift in the event of an imminent U.S.-China conflict. Findings indicate that the United States remains more efficient overall, but China outperforms in cost efficiency. Areas in which the United States can improve include cost, acquisition workforce, resource allocation, and the defense industrial base. By addressing these inefficiencies, the United States can strengthen its defense acquisition system and sustain its technological advantage in an evolving strategic landscape."