Acquiring the correct mix of __, __, and __, is the task of the Defense Acquisition System.

• A. Equipment, Systems, and Infrastructure
• B. People, Processes, and Technology
• C. Materials, Facilities, and Manpower
• D. Vehicles, Software, and Hardware

Answer: (A)

Acquiring the correct mix of equipment, systems, and infrastructure is what the Defense Acquisition System is built to manage. Think of it as delivering capability end-to-end: you need the actual items people use (equipment), the integrated arrangements that make those items work together to perform missions (systems), and the underpinnings that allow those items and systems to operate over time (infrastructure). Equipment covers the tangible assets like weapons, vehicles, and sensors. Systems refer to the engineered combinations that enable a mission—arrays of hardware plus software that function together as a coherent platform or network. Infrastructure includes the facilities, networks, logistics, maintenance, and support environments that sustain operations and ensure readiness. Together, these three elements provide a complete, operable capability.

The other options don’t fit as neatly because they either focus on organizational or abstract aspects (people, processes, and technology), mix terms that aren’t traditionally grouped together in the DAS context (materials, facilities, and manpower), or pick a narrow subset (vehicles, software, and hardware) that doesn’t cover the full breadth of what the acquisition system must deliver for lasting defense capability.