The Use of Prototypes in Weapon System Development

Abstract

This study examines the role of prototypes in the contemporary environment of weapon system acquisition. The research draws on case studies of four systems (two Air Force airplanes and two Army helicopters) that were developed in the early 1970s and that used prototypes in various ways. These were compared with a broad range of acquisition programs that used other acquisition strategies. The objective of this study is to sharpen the understanding of advantages and disadvantages of prototyping and conditions under which its use may be advantageous. Section II presents an outline of the different kinds of prototypes, and the various objectives that might be sought in a prototype phase. The section concludes with a description of the analysis procedure, a summary of the four systems examined, and the source of data on nonprototype programs used for comparison. Section III summarizes the results of the research, and Section IV contains the conclusions. Four appendixes are attached, each describing one of the case studies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1981
Accession Number
ADA117911

Entities

People

  • A. A. Barbour
  • G. K. Smith
  • M. D. Rich
  • T. L. Mcnaugher
  • W. L. Stanley

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Counter WMD
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Aerodynamic Configurations
  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Anti-Tank Missiles
  • Attack Helicopters
  • Business Administration
  • Contracts
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Government Procurement
  • Management Personnel
  • Organizational Structure
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Business Analytics
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Systems Analysis and Design