The Air Force and the Great Engine War.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Drewes, Robert W.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Armed Forces--Procurement.

General Electric Company--History.

Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Group--History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (136 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : Barakaldo Books, 2021.

Summary:

Highly publicized accounts of abuse in military weapons procurement have raised both citizen awareness of and citizen concern with the properly monitored spending of US defense dollars. Not long ago, media reports of spare parts overpricing and related problems ignited harsh public criticism of the handling of the multibillion dollar defense contracts for the F100 jet engine. According to Colonel Robert Drewes, US Air Force, though, the outcome of the subsequent "Great Engine War" calls not for criticism, but for praise for the Department of Defense. Long before the public became aware of the controversy, the Air Force was grappling with the problems of the F100 high performance engine and the contract for its procurement and maintenance. As difficulties mounted in negotiations with the sole-source supplier, the Air Force, Navy, and Congress held their ground and eventually prevailed. The account of their combined efforts is an encouraging story about the Department of Defense and the US Government "setting things right, " a story that has not been fully told before. The case is not closed on jet engine contracting, or any other kind of defense contracting, but the Great Engine War is welcome reassurance that US defense dollars -closely monitored- will be spent wisely. Bradley C. Hosmer Lieutenant General, US Air Force President, National Defense University

Contents:

Intro

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

1-GETTING OFF THE GROUND

THE THREAT

INTERNAL DEBATES

PRESSURE TO SUCCEED

PROGRAM OFFICE PRINCIPAL

JOINING WITH THE NAVY

2-ENGINE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

THE EARLY CONTRACTS

ANOTHER ROUND WITH THE NAVY

STRONG ARGUMENTS ON EACH SIDE

QUALIFICATION PROBLEMS

BUSINESS PROBLEMS

THE COMPONENT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

3-PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE

STALL STAGNATIONS

THERMAL CYCLES

TURBINE FAILURES

OTHER PROBLEMS

INTANGIBLES

4-THE BATTLE LINES

PRATT AND WHITNEY

GENERAL ELECTRIC

GE PROSPECTS ON THE RISE

SUBCONTRACTOR STRIKES

5-THE BIGGEST BATTLE OF ALL

THE ENGINE MODEL DERIVATIVE PROGRAM

SKIRMISHES IN CONGRESS

GETTING THE FORMAL COMPETITION STARTED

SPARE PARTS PROBLEMS

THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

THE UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL AND OTHER TACTICS

THE AIR FORCE'S DECISION

REACTIONS

THE WATERSHED EFFECT

6-OVERALL ASSESSMENT

F100 DEVELOPMENT

MID AND LATE 1970s

EARLY 1980s

SOURCE SELECTION

PEOPLE AND COMMITMENT

FUTURE CONCERNS

LESSONS LEARNED

THE AUTHOR.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781839747427

1839747420

OCLC:

1250074049