The Cutting Edge
A Half Century of U.S. Fighter Aircraft R&D
The proposition that innovation is critical in the cost-effective design and development of successful military aircraft is still subject to some debate. RAND research indicates that innovation is promoted by intense competition among three or more industry competitors. Given the critical policy importance of this issue in the current environment of drastic consolidation of the aerospace defense industry, the authors here examine the history of the major prime contractors in developing jet fighters since World War II. They make use of an extensive RAND database that includes nearly all jet fighters, fighter-attack aircraft, and bombers developed and flown by U.S. industry since 1945, as well as all related prototypes, modifications, upgrades, etc. The report concludes that (1) experience matters, because of the tendency to specialize and thus to develop system-specific expertise; (2) yet the most dramatic innovations and breakthroughs came from secondary or marginal players trying to compete with the industry leaders; and (3) dedicated military R&D conducted or directly funded by the U.S. government has been critical in the development of new higher-performance fighters and bombers.
- Format:
- Paperback, 245 Pages
- Year:
- 1998
- List Price:
- $20.00
- Price:
- $16.00 Special 20% Web Discount
- Format:
- Hardcover, 245 Pages
- Year:
- 1998
- List Price:
- $35.00
- Price:
- $28.00 Special 20% Web Discount
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Document Details
- Copyright: RAND Corporation
- Availability: Available
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 245
- List Price: $20.00
- Price: $16.00
- ISBN/EAN: 0-8330-2595-3
- Document Number: MR-939-AF
- Year: 1998
- Series: Monograph Reports
- Copyright: RAND Corporation
- Availability: Available
- Format: Hardcover
- Pages: 245
- List Price: $35.00
- Price: $28.00
- ISBN/EAN: 0-8330-2607-0
- Document Number: MR-939-AF
- Year: 1998
- Series: Monograph Reports
Contents
Preface PDF
Figures PDF
Photographs PDF
Tables PDF
Summary PDF
Acknowledgments PDF
Abbreviations PDF
Chapter 1
Introduction PDF
Chapter 2
The 1920s to the 1950s: the Long Road Toward U.S. Leadership in Fighter R&D PDF
Chapter 3
The Supersonic Revolution PDF
Chapter 4
The 1960s and 1970s: Acquisition Reform, Doctrinal Ferment PDF
Chapter 5
Revival of the Air-Superiority Fighter PDF
Chapter 6
The 1970s to the 1990s: the Stealth Revolution PDF
Chapter 7
Concluding Observations PDF
Appendix A
Database Description PDF
Appendix B
Database PDF
Bibliography PDF
Index PDF
About the Authors PDF
This report is part of the RAND Corporation monograph report series. The monograph/report was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1993 to 2003. RAND monograph/reports presented major research findings that addressed the challenges facing the public and private sectors. They included executive summaries, technical documentation, and synthesis pieces.
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