Site problems Milestone “B” Milestone B, authorizes entry into Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Phase, and is for most programs the point of a formal program initiation. For those programs that do not require a development phase, program initiation can occur at Milestone C, the decision point for Commitment to Production. “The Technology Development Strategy (TDS) and associated funding shall provide for two or more competing teams producing prototypes of the system and/or key system elements prior to, or through, Milestone B. Prototype systems or appropriate component-level prototyping shall be employed to reduce technical risk, validate designs and cost estimates, evaluate manufacturing processes, and refine requirements. . . .” To pass Milestone “B” the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) must, among other things approve the Acquisition Strategy (AS), the Acquisition Strategy Program Baseline, and the type of contract that will be used to acquire the system. Most programs are initiated at Milestone “B”. Link to Video