Comparison of Quantity Versus Quality Using Performance, Reliability, and Life Cycle Cost Data. A Case Study of the F-15, F-16, and A-10 Aircraft

摘要

The primary emphasis of this research effort has been to investigate the quantity versus quality issue and to design a cost-effectiveness model to aid in evaluating it. This model incorporates mission effectiveness, readiness, and life cycle costs. The research effort was hinged around a case study comparison of the F-15, F-16, and A-10 aircraft. These aircraft were chosen because they represented varying system complexities and were used as surrogates to high, medium, and low complexity respectively. The comparisons made in this thesis were intended to demonstrate the usefulness of using aircraft effectiveness, readiness and cost data in a mathematical cost-effectiveness model. The methodology that was followed, involved combining multi-attribute value theory, aircraft readiness data, and aircraft life cycle cost information. The result of this approach was a series of cost-effectiveness ratios, and a cost-effectiveness curve which incorporated the three close air support aircraft. The cost-effectiveness curve provided the costs, adjusted by both effectiveness and readiness values. The results of this research indicate that the approach used to develop the cost-effectiveness model does provide a quantitative way to evaluate the problem of quantity versus quality. (Author)