Scoping Aerospace
Tracking Federal Procurement and R&D Spending in the Aerospace Sector
ResearchPublished Nov 4, 2005
Tracking Federal Procurement and R&D Spending in the Aerospace Sector
ResearchPublished Nov 4, 2005
Assesses the scope of external federal spending in the aerospace industry from 1993 to 2003 by tracking all government aerospace procurement and research and development (R&D) expenditures from 1993 to 2003. The study reveals a clear downward trend in federal aerospace procurement and R&D expenditures during the decade examined. This decline was felt in each of the primary aerospace sectors-air systems, missile systems, and space systems. DoD aerospace-related R&D spending dropped dramatically after the Cold War and overall external military spending declined by more than 40 percent during the period examined. Although NASA’s spending also declined, it has been able to avoid major decreases in its space system expenditures by drastically reducing infrastructure expenditures in order to maintain its mission priorities.
The research described in this report was sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). The research was conducted in the RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center supported by the OSD, the Joint Staff, the unified commands, and the defense agencies.
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