A Proposed Strategy for the Acquisition of Avionics Equipment

The strategy proposed in this report has as its goals improved operational reliability and reduced life-cycle support costs of avionics equipment through a new procurement policy and management structure. To achieve these goals, the authors suggest a development policy which uses multiple research approaches and an associate contractor structure managed by a separate Air Force Avionics Development Center. Fully developed building-block equipments, which will be ready when a weapon system requires them and which will be used in several systems, will include computer-program modules, mathematical models, test equipment, and a verified fault-isolation capability. There will be adequate development test following design. The final weapon system will be marked by design stability as a result of the truly complete development, thus allowing multiple, competitive production sources with concomitant efficient production in both price and quality.