Can DARPA rescue the Pentagon from its acquisition doldrums?

• Position: DEFENSEINSIDER

* The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency launched a new program last year to figure out how to build complex weapons systems five times faster than it's done today. Now comes word that DARPA also intends to revolutionize the way the military buys communications satellites.

Could DARPA have become the Pentagon's latest clandestine agent in search of a fix for the troubled acquisition system?

DARPA unveiled in December the appropriately named "Meta" project. The enigmatic effort--with $60 million worth of funding--will seek novel methods of designing weapons systems on budget and on schedule. According to a Dec. 18 solicitation, DARPA wants the private sector to contribute ideas.

In another move that could shake up the acquisition system, DARPA is sponsoring a project to dramatically change how satellites are acquired. It also would upset the status quo in the satellite industry.

DARPA...