Weapon Reliability and Logistic Support Costs in a Combat Environment
Abstract
This paper reports on the development of a methodology for assessing the tradeoffs between equipment reliability and logistic support under combat conditions. In theory, improvements in reliability have two payoffs-cost is lower and sortie generation capability is higher. This analysis estimates the magnitudes of these payoffs, using the F-15 as an example, under baseline conditions and under conditions of maintenance delay, battle damage, and attrition. In the most severe combat condition case, higher reliability results in a one-third increase in the number of sorties achieved, at one-third the spares cost per sortie. Challenging sortie schedules were also examined. In the most severe case--a 30 day surge situation with maintenance delay, attrition, and the battle damage--the high-reliability fighter achieved 358 sorties, vs. only 233 for the normal-reliability case. The paper also discusses possible methods for doing the same type of analysis for new systems, before data on costs and demands for parts are available.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA223314
Entities
People
- D. G. Mcbryde
- Karen W. Tyson
- Mitchell A. Robinson
- Peter Evanovich
- Stanley A. Horowitz
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses