Military Airframe Costs

Military Airframe Costs PDF Author: Obaid Younossi
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 9780833030368
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 141

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Book Description
In recent years, a number of attempts have been made to estimate the cost of future weapon systems toward the goal of optimizing acquisition policy. This report focuses specifically on the effects of material mix, manufacturing techniques, and geometric part complexity on the cost of military airframes. It begins by offering background information on those materials that are most critical to airframe manufacture and on the relative advantages of both traditional and evolving part fabrication techniques. It then proceeds to a quantitative analysis of the cost implications of various materials and manufacturing techniques on airframe production, drawing both from an industry survey and from analysis of industry data. The data thus derived are then integrated with those of a comprehensive historical database. The report concludes that composites, while offering a number of advantages over metals in airframe manufacture, are generally associated with higher costs across a range of categories. At the same time, it concludes that while new manufacturing technologies hold the potential to diminish airframe manufacturing costs, the increased airframe complexity of future fighter aircraft may well offset this advantage. The report recommends that cost analysts remain abreast of changes in industry practice so that they may more accurately gauge the potential effects of such changes on future airframe costs.

Military Airframe Costs

Military Airframe Costs PDF Author: Obaid Younossi
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 9780833030368
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 141

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Book Description
In recent years, a number of attempts have been made to estimate the cost of future weapon systems toward the goal of optimizing acquisition policy. This report focuses specifically on the effects of material mix, manufacturing techniques, and geometric part complexity on the cost of military airframes. It begins by offering background information on those materials that are most critical to airframe manufacture and on the relative advantages of both traditional and evolving part fabrication techniques. It then proceeds to a quantitative analysis of the cost implications of various materials and manufacturing techniques on airframe production, drawing both from an industry survey and from analysis of industry data. The data thus derived are then integrated with those of a comprehensive historical database. The report concludes that composites, while offering a number of advantages over metals in airframe manufacture, are generally associated with higher costs across a range of categories. At the same time, it concludes that while new manufacturing technologies hold the potential to diminish airframe manufacturing costs, the increased airframe complexity of future fighter aircraft may well offset this advantage. The report recommends that cost analysts remain abreast of changes in industry practice so that they may more accurately gauge the potential effects of such changes on future airframe costs.

Military Airframe Costs. The Effects of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes

Military Airframe Costs. The Effects of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
Good cost estimates can make important contributions to effective acquisition policy. RAND has a long history of producing cost-estimating methodologies. Two of its more recent studies are Hess and Romanoff (1987) and Resetar, Rogers, and Hess (1991). This report both updates and extends these earlier studies, focusing on the effects of material mix, manufacturing technique, and part geometric complexity on cost. We collected two types of information on these effects. First, we surveyed the military airframe industry for estimates of how aircraft production costs vary with airframe structure material mix. Second, we analyzed a large set of actual part data from recent aircraft manufacturing efforts that we collected from industry. We also estimated a set of airframe relationships (CERs) for labor hours based on MACDAR, a historical airframe database. We then integrated the effects of material mix into these estimates.

The Effects of Advanced Materials on Airframe Operating and Support Costs

The Effects of Advanced Materials on Airframe Operating and Support Costs PDF Author: Raj Raman
Publisher: RAND Corporation
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 88

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Book Description
Presents a methodology for forecasting operating and support costs for airframe parts made form advanced materials versus parts made from aluminum.

Historical Cost Growth of Completed Weapon System Programs

Historical Cost Growth of Completed Weapon System Programs PDF Author: Mark V. Arena
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833039253
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 74

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Book Description
This report is one of a series from a RAND Project AIR FORCE project, "The Cost of Future Military Aircraft: Historical Cost Estimating Relationships and Cost Reduction Initiatives." The purpose of the project is to improve the tools used to estimate the costs of future weapon systems. It focuses on how recent technical, management, and government policy changes affect cost. This report focuses on the accuracy of cost estimates. For our analysis, we used a very specific sample of Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) data, namely only programs that are complete or are nearly so. The analysis indicates a systematic bias toward underestimating the costs and substantial uncertainty in estimating the final cost of a weapon system. In contrast to the previous literature, the cost growth was higher than previously observed. We also found few correlations with cost growth, but observed that programs with longer duration had greater cost growth and electronics programs tended to have lower cost growth. Although there were some differences in the mean cost growth factors among the military departments, the differences were not statistically significant. While newer programs appear to have lower cost growth, this trend appears to be due to factors other than acquisition policies.

Sources of Weapon System Cost Growth

Sources of Weapon System Cost Growth PDF Author: Joseph G. Bolten
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833045245
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 117

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Book Description
This analysis uses data from Selected Acquisition Reports to determine the causes of cost growth in 35 mature major defense acquisition programs. Four major sources of growth are identified: (1) errors in estimation and scheduling, (2) decisions by the government, (3) financial matters, and (4) miscellaneous. The analysis shows that more than two-thirds of cost growth (measured as simple averages) is caused by decisions, most of which involve quantity changes, requirements growth, and schedule changes.

Evolutionary Acquisition

Evolutionary Acquisition PDF Author: Mark A. Lorell
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833038826
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 162

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Book Description
"So far, EA implementation of military space programs has produced mixed results. The capabilities and requirements definition and management processes are major challenges in all EA programs. EA programs require an evolutionary costing approach; most cost analysts interviewed expressed generally positive views about EA."--BOOK JACKET.

Titanium

Titanium PDF Author: Somi Seong
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833047957
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 155

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Book Description
Between 2003 and 2006, the price of titanium more than doubled. The authors attempt to answer four primary questions: What triggered this price surge? What are titanium's future market prospects and emerging technologies? What are the implications for the production cost of future military airframes? How might the Department of Defense mitigate the economic risks involved in the titanium market?

Impossible Certainty

Impossible Certainty PDF Author:
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 083303863X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
This report is one of a series from a RAND Project AIR FORCE project, "The Cost of Future Military Aircraft: Historical Cost Estimating Relationships and Cost Reduction Initiatives."

Proceedings of the 13th World Conference on Titanium

Proceedings of the 13th World Conference on Titanium PDF Author: Vasisht Venkatesh
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119296099
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 2004

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Book Description
This book contains the Proceedings of the 13th World Conference on Titanium.

Software Cost Estimation and Sizing Methods

Software Cost Estimation and Sizing Methods PDF Author: Shari Lawrence Pfleeger
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 9780833037138
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
Recommends an approach to improving the utility and accuracy of software cost estimates by exposing uncertainty (in understanding the project) and reducing the risks associated with developing the estimates. The approach focuses on characteristics of the estimation process (such as which methods and models are most appropriate for a given situation) and the nature of the data used (such as software size), describing symptoms and warning signs of risk in each factor, and risk-mitigation strategies.