The Office of the Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Training Readiness and Strategy sponsored the Training Systems Acquisition for Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) study to determine the impact of incorporating training systems considerations earlier in the acquisition process. This paper discusses details and provides findings and observations from the study completed in July 2012. The research effort, which was conducted in two phases, supports recent changes to the Defense Requirements Process that include requirements for training. It gathers and organizes data from new equipment programs that require significant human interaction, analyzes them for gaps and trends, and documents how training affects the system's total cost and effectiveness. Although Department of Defense regulations regarding MDAPs traditionally have addressed training in the context of human-systems integration and personnel issues, with document completion and delivery dates just prior to Milestone C, emerging Phase II results indicate that training system planning can and should begin prior to Milestone A, in the concept definition and analysis phases, and extend through the system's life cycle. The Phase II methodology includes analysis of specific case study systems to provide detailed evidence regarding the impact of training systems planning with corroborating details from multiple sources. This early systems training planning for operator, maintainer, and leadership, employing methodologies such as modeling and simulation, may be shown to provide opportunities to avoid later potential problems such as cost overruns and schedule delays and enable the full design capabilities of the new system. Test reports and other program-specific documents are included to extend the systems training information found in the training-related program documents. This work contributes to understanding of systems training planning in the acquisition process by providing compelling evidence documented from multiple accredited sources. Study results will inform and influence changes to the acquisition process and support a strengthened training role in the capabilities of MDAPs.