RAND report raps Raptor program estimates

RAND report is at http://www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG276/
Mike

The document, titled "Lessons Learned from the F/A-22 and F/A-18E/F
Development Programs," was released Oct. 10 by Rand Corp. It is part
of a series called "The Cost of Future Military Aircraft: Historical
Cost-Estimating Relationships and Cost Reduction Initiatives" that
Rand is doing for the Air Force.

The result: The Super Hornet's cost and schedule estimate were
relatively accurate and remained stable throughout the development
phase of the program when compared with the Raptor.

The lessons learned in the report also included:

- Reducing the cost and risk associated with an aircraft's avionics
should be a chief priority of the development phase.

- An "evolutionary" approach to developing avionics will help
moderate the risk because the development is taken in smaller steps.

- The weight of the airframe should be carefully monitored because its
getting heavier is a sign of problems to come.

- Manufacturing the aircraft before testing is finished puts the
program at considerable risk because of the costs associated with
retrofitting aircraft with fixes found as a result of testing.

- Putting together a "stable" development team with the right
expertise is "critical" to success.

Re the last two bullets: It never ceases to astound me that contractors fail
to apply what in essence are Project Management 101-grade practices.

Plus ça change!

--
Mike Kanze

"A rattlesnake loose in the living room tends to end all discussion of
animal rights."

- Time magazine's Lance Morrow, written after the September 11 attacks.


"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
RAND report is at http://www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG276/
Mike

The document, titled "Lessons Learned from the F/A-22 and F/A-18E/F
Development Programs," was released Oct. 10 by Rand Corp. It is part
of a series called "The Cost of Future Military Aircraft: Historical
Cost-Estimating Relationships and Cost Reduction Initiatives" that
Rand is doing for the Air Force.

The result: The Super Hornet's cost and schedule estimate were
relatively accurate and remained stable throughout the development
phase of the program when compared with the Raptor.

The lessons learned in the report also included:

- Reducing the cost and risk associated with an aircraft's avionics
should be a chief priority of the development phase.

- An "evolutionary" approach to developing avionics will help
moderate the risk because the development is taken in smaller steps.

- The weight of the airframe should be carefully monitored because its
getting heavier is a sign of problems to come.

- Manufacturing the aircraft before testing is finished puts the
program at considerable risk because of the costs associated with
retrofitting aircraft with fixes found as a result of testing.

- Putting together a "stable" development team with the right
expertise is "critical" to success.