DOD C-17 versus the Boeing 777: Comparison of Acquisition and Development

摘要

In 1995, two significant aircraft made aviation history as they lifted off211u001erunways in different parts of the country. One, the Boeing 777, a wide-bodied, 211u001etwo-engine passenger plane created by private enterprise, made its first 211u001ecommercial transoceanic flight in June 1995. The other, the C-17, a military 211u001ecargo plane created by the Department of Defense (DOD), received initial 211u001eoperating certification in January 1995. Each aircraft exhibited innovative 211u001edesign and high-tech features, but neither boasted an unprecedented level of 211u001euntried technology. They were similar in may ways--both intended to ferry 211u001epassengers or cargo with appropriate ease from one point to another. Yet each of 211u001ethese aircraft had a unique story of development--one a straightforward narrative 211u001eof almost 9 years, the other a complex, convoluted yarn spanning 24 years. Even 211u001eafter Congress approved funding, the C-17 time table was greater than the Boeing 211u001e777 (figure 1). This study compares and contrasts the histories of these two 211u001eaircraft to determine why a private-sector company was able to develop and 211u001eproduce the 777 in significantly less time than the government took to develop 211u001eand produce the C-17.