Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I).
Abstract
Soviet emphasis on military investment, and on RDT&E in particular, is improving the technology base of Soviet defense systems considerably. The Soviets have a much larger arsenal of weaponry, and new technology improvements to that arsenal will give the Soviets both a qualitative and quantitative advantage in military power. In contrast, U.S. defense systems are limited in both quantity and quality by Congressional funding. Therefore, an effort must be made to achieve the highest possible quality of U.S. weapon systems within funding constraints. Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I) is a strategy of system design and improvement with the potential to significantly increase system quality and at the same time decrease total life cycle cost. This thesis reviews the nature of P3I and then examines the efforts of the Boeing Company and the F-16 Multinational Staged Improvement Program to use P3I concepts in aircraft and missile designs. These designs are studied to understand the role of P3I and how methods of improvement selection and planning can reduce the inherent uncertainty in long range planning. Also included is the ADPA 'P3I Summary Briefing' given to DOD, OMB, GAO, and the services and the July 6, 1981 OSD Memorandum implementing P3I. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA110971
Entities
People
- Stephen W. Sickels
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology