Supportability Model Quantifies Reliability and Maintainability Influence on Cost

During the last decade the U.S. Government has become increasingly aware of the overall costs involved with major weapon systems. Embracing such concepts as Integrated Logistics Support and Life Cycle Cost analysis the Defense Department has placed the responsibility for accurate and complete determination of total cost of ownership squarely on the shoulders of its defense contractors. In response to these initiatives, Pratt & Whitney has formed a team of engineers dedicated to providing the Government with a accurate analysis of the cost of ownership involved with the acquisition and use of a weapons system. In the determination of cost effective weapon system design, development, production and operation, the analysis of alternate methods to achieve a desired goal is of paramount importance. To that end, Pratt & Whitney engineers have developed a computer Support Cost Model (SCM) to enhance the effectiveness of the analysis through the quantification of the reliability and maintainability influence on cost. This paper details the maintenance cost model employed by Pratt & Whitney to support our military programs. This will show how versatile the Pratt & Whitney model or a similar model can be in supporting the requirements of today's cost effective weapon system programs. One of the most recent applications of the Pratt 8 Whitney Support Cost Model (PWSCM) is in the design of the T800, turboshaft engine currently under development, to power the U.S. Army LHX helicopter. This paper discusses Model Methodology, Typical Input Assumptions, Prediction Method, Model Features, Applications, Typical Output, and Conclusions.