FIGURE 2
ORIGINAL BUDGET
1. ROUND AND MISSILE 2. PROPULSION
3. WARHEAD AND CONTACT FUZE 4. ELECTRONIC SAFE AND FIRE 5. GUIDANCE SECTION 6. SEEKER
(INCLUDES FOCAL PLANE ARRAY) 7. CONTROL ACTUATION SYSTEM 8. TELEMETRY
9. LAUNCH TUBE ASSEMBLY 10. BATTERY COOLANT UNIT
11. ROUND SHIPPING CONTAINER 12. COMMAND LAUNCH UNIT
(INCLUDES DETECTOR DEWAR COOLER) 13. TRAINING DEVICES 14. TEST AND EVALUATION 15. SYSTEM ENGINEERING 16. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
17. INTEGRATED LOGISTICS SUPPORT 18. DATA
19. JOINT VENTURE GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
ALL OTHER TOTAL
$11,733 $2,327 $9,720 $1,459
$16,092 $24,227
[$14,000] $2,046 $2,405 $2,036 $1,155 $107
$18,976 [$2,600] $7,755
$11,260 $9,362
$35,298 $3,949 $4,026
$11,591 $4,559 $180,083 HALF THE WEIGHT, DOUBLE THE COST
In an effort to reduce system weight, Javelin PMs redesigned system components. However, that reduction came at a cost: Estimates grew across the board, with the total estimate at twice the cost of the original. (Image courtesy of the author)
CURRENT latest revised estimate
$20,048 $8,386
$13,661 $6,926
$35,662 $47,905
[$33,000] $5,180 $4,085 $6,583 $4,849 $2,420
$53,812
[$15,100] $9,636
$12,510 $21,606 $64,596 $6,070 $4,505
$20,247 $13,465 $362,152 DIFFERENCE
$8,315 $6,059 $3,941 $5,467
$19,570 $23,678
[$19,000] $3,134 $1,680 $4,547 $3,694 $2,313
$34,836
[$12,500] $1,881 $1,250
$12,244 $29,298 $2,121 $479
$3,656 $8,906 $182,069
Stringent controls must be issued to sub- component suppliers that will severely constrain their individual weight allo- cations if preliminary design reviews should reveal an issue. A weight problem may at first appear to be like many other technical performance shortfalls where specifications have simply not yet been met. And a program can often proceed with sub-spec prototype testing until the final configuration test articles eventually emerge. But as I’ve explained here, the implications can be significant.
Since 2001, when technology readiness levels (TRLs) and assessment method- ologies came more fully into use, I have found it curious and troubling that nowhere in the listing of levels 1 through 9, which range from glimmer-in-the-eye to fully ready to go, did the word “weight” appear in the descriptions of tactical maturity or readiness.
Even today, we seldom find mention of this important parameter of near- final design configuration. (However, descriptions including this parameter later become more specific and are now found in references like the Technology Readiness Assessment Deskbook, 2009, specifically in supporting information for consideration of TRL Level 6.) Corpo- rately, we are finally beginning to learn the lessons.
room. It didn’t help much, though. We were already on our way.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING, AND A WORD TO THE WISE For program managers, realizing that weight is an important parameter up front and early is important, but not nearly
enough alone to alleviate weight’s pro- grammatic perils. Even though contract incentives can be put in place for weight goals, the cost-reimbursable contract environment typical of most development efforts puts the government at significant risk if weight concerns are not fully iden- tified and addressed before EMD.
While it is easy not to expect early proto- type hardware to be fully of “form, fit and function,” we do ourselves a disservice if we dismiss the challenges of weight and the many technical and financial impli- cations it can have on a program.
CONCLUSION Program managers would do well
to
heed the advice of those who have gone through the pain of weight reduction programs. Hopefully, those of us who
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