Defense Facts of Life

Abstract

Air Force Tactical Aircraft programs are analyzed in a case study that illustrates the tendency for high investment weapon systems to take an unacceptable toll on the state of readiness. Investment plans change dramatically from year to year and the pattern of these changes indicates that these plans embody optimistically low estimates of future investment costs. It appears that our plans do not account for the future consequences of current decisions. We advocate increased budgets because we perceive a growing threat, yet at the same time we project low readiness to meet the same growing threat. What is required is leadership that can make real national defense take precedence over interests that would advocate technical sophistication at any cost.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 05, 1980
Accession Number
ADA111544

Entities

People

  • Franklin C. Spinney

Organizations

  • Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Anti-Radiation Missiles
  • Attrition
  • Combat Readiness
  • Congress
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Fighter Bombers
  • Guided Bombs
  • Maintenance
  • Maintenance Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Precision-Guided Munitions
  • Procurement
  • Second World War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Economics
  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis