Challenges Affecting Heavy Lift Aircraft Development to Support Sea Basing

<p>This thesis examines several successful and unsuccessful military aircraft development programs intended to serve as a basis for identifying the potential challenges that might be encountered by developers of heavy lift aircraft required to support the sea basing concept. In the wake of 11 September 2001 the U.S. armed services began adapting to meet the challenges of a changing global environment. An enhanced sea basing capability is one solution. The sea basing concept is focused on eliminating traditional nodes required ashore to support operational maneuver from the sea. An enhanced sea basing capability is laden with several issues that must be addressed before it can be developed especially development of new maritime aviation assets. In August 2003 the Department of Defense directed Defense Science Board Task Force on Sea Basing identifies twelve dirty dozen issues three of which are critical. Development of a heavy lift aircraft capability to support sea basing is one of those three critical issues. The conclusions reached in this thesis are that design approach funding organization silver bullet theory vision technology and politics are the most prevalent factors amongst many that could potentially effect timely development of heavy lift aircraft to support sea basing.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>