Parametric Flyaway Cost Estimating Relationships for Manned and Remotely Piloted Military Aircraft

In the past decade, the services have become more reliant on remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), particularly in the area of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. To inform U.S. Air Force decisionmakers on the cost differences of manned aircraft and RPA, the authors compiled data for 30 diffe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy File 2024
Main Authors: Light, Thomas, Timson, Fred, Obaid Younossi
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Military aircraft
Military strategy
Remote control
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Online Access:Request full text
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Summary:In the past decade, the services have become more reliant on remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), particularly in the area of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. To inform U.S. Air Force decisionmakers on the cost differences of manned aircraft and RPA, the authors compiled data for 30 different military fixed-wing aircraft—five of which are remotely piloted—and extrapolated the average unit flyaway cost associated with producing the first 100 units of each platform. From these data, parametric cost-estimating relationships that vary with aircraft characteristics—including empty weight, whether the aircraft has stealth technology, and whether the aircraft is manned or remotely piloted—were developed using regression analysis. In this report, the authors summarize the analysis findings that examine the extent to which unit flyaway costs of RPA differ from those of manned aircraft. This research was completed in 2015 and has not been subsequently revised.