Interceptor Development Engineering Cost Research

This paper presents the results of a research task into the cost of Development Engineering. The research objective was to examine Development Engineering costs of a MissileAir Vehicle through review of existing estimating methodologies and data research, collection, normalization, and development of recommended methodsCERs. Development Engineering cost was hypothesized to be a function of the complexity of the item being developed and the time it takes to develop it. The hypothesis is further refined by stating that the cost of development is related to the monthly expenditure rate size of the design staff and duration. Further, the monthly expenditure rate is different at different phases of the development program and peaks in the period prior to Critical Design Review CDR. It is further hypothesized that the expenditure rate in other periods is related to the peak in a predictable manner and that the peak expenditure rate is related to technical and programmatic complexity. When the research effort was completed, it resulted in a recommended CER which relates Development Engineering cost to complexity and Duration by program phase. The use of Duration by Milestone may advance the state of the art in cost analysis. Interceptor, Development engineering cost