Manpower Factors in Systems Acquisition

This paper discusses the role played by Weapon System (W.S.) design and support planning decisions in determining manpower and related support requirements and how these requirements can be controlled by including them as criteria or constraints in the W.S. acquisition process. The historical disconnect, in the military services, between the system for procuring human resources and the system for procuring hardware resources is identified as a factor that has slowed the development of tools and techniques for including manpower, personnel and training factors in W.S. design decisions. Nevertheless, it is felt that a usable technology in this area now exists. The current status of this technology is briefly reviewed in the following areas: maintenance manpower modeling; training requirements analysis; maintenance technical data; system ownership costing; human resources in design trade-offs; and supporting data bases. The importance of integrating the application of these component technologies during W.S. development is emphasized, and a proposed method for doing this is described. Even though a usable technology exists for including manpower factors in the process of choosing among W.S. design alternatives, achieving widespread application will not be an easy task. Some things which must happen before this can be achieved are discussed. Finally, the paper points out some favorable signs that manpower factors are beginning to receive the attention they deserve in W.S. acquisition. (Author) Presented at the Aerospace Industries Association Symposium, Product Support - A Changing Challenge, Seattle, WA, 21-22 Oct 80.