Managers.

This is coolbert:

Interesting program this evening on PBS about the Joint Strike Fighter [JSF].

This program only highlighted the fact that a lot of the work that goes on with a program such as JSF is managerial in nature.

Project managers can serve a whole twenty year career in the military and be involved just in this one project.

A common criticism of the current military in all branches is that we do not have the preponderance of fighters [combat arms professionals] that we in the U.S. once had. Well, this may be a valid criticism, but also is the understandable result of factors beyond the control of the Pentagon. You need a lot of managers to work in a program like the JSF and have it a success. It is just a fact.

The "death spiral" of cost for new combat aircraft was mentioned of course. How the ever escalating costs of developing and producing new combat aircraft has risen dramatically over the decades. Given the defense budget, it was estimated that at some point, the Air Force would be able to buy one new fighter aircraft a year if costs for new aircraft continued to escalate as they have!?

And this PBS program mentions how from the very start, conflict between military services complicates the design process from the start.

The Navy is very keen on having fighter aircraft with two engines. Such as the F-18. For safety and reliability sake.

But the Marines wants a single engine aircraft for weight considerations and maneuverability.

So a fundamental decision has to be made from the start.

Is the program doomed from the start or can an engineering decision be made that satisfies everyone?

 The single engine concept was finally agreed upon by all parties, as it was felt that a design was possible that would be able to meet all requirements.

This is a gamble with calculations. If the gamble is not won, neither the Navy or the Marines will be happy, and the project will be years and billions of dollars behind and nothing will have been accomplished. Managerial skills are at a premium here.

Some statistics also highlight the managerial aspect of such a project. How the managers are gambling with time and money that cannot be wasted. For example:

The design of the prototype takes five years.

This airplane will be in production and flying combat missions until the year 2050.

Each competitor, Boeing and Lockheed, will each build two prototypes for flight testing. These prototypes must be built in two years and the cost will be one billion dollars for the two aircraft per manufacturer.

Lockheed did win the contract for the JSF in the end.

Has a more elegant design.

But the design for the engine is much more complex.

Has to be if the design is to be both elegant and be able to do the hovering and landing vertically that the Marines want.

It seems this engine design is a big gamble in itself. But there has to be confidence here or it would have been chose. I sure hope so!

coolbert.