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From: smb@ulysses.att.com (Steven Bellovin)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: YF22 vs. YF23 Why?
Message-ID: <1991May1.030451.20287@amd.com>
Date: 30 Apr 91 12:23:12 GMT
References: <1991Apr30.044919.5301@amd.com>
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From: smb@ulysses.att.com (Steven Bellovin)


There were undoubtedly a lot of reasons for deciding between the YF22
and the YF23.  Some were probably political, and hence not within the
scope of this newsgroup.  (For example, I believe that Lockheed would
be doing a lot of work in Georgia.  Check on the committee assignments
-- and the seniority -- of Georgia's Senators.)

Another reason is more germane, and is often overlooked in this
newsgroup.  Call it metalogistics:  Lockheed got the contract because
Northrop already has a big contract, for the B-2.  It's very much in
the military's interest to sustain several major aircraft
manufacturers, both to provide competition in the future and to retain
the base of engineers, experience, and equipment.  This latter is quite
critical -- today's planes are far too sophisticated to be built
quickly by a startup.  In the event of another long, non-nuclear war,
it won't be possible to increase the manufacturing base rapidly enough
to do any good.  So, just as smart commanders preposition supplies, the
Pentagon hierarchy ``prepositions'' aircraft builders.

	[Not an argument I'd buy - considering it takes 10-20
 	 years from initial desire to buy to deployment, we'll fight
	 the next war with pretty much what we have at the time it
	 starts.  --CDR]

Incidentally, the same thought process was a major contributing factor
to the early U.S. space program.  It was necessary to keep the
aerospace industry healthy, but high levels of military spending were
seen as unlikely, given the political climate of the time.  (Source:
``The Heavens and the Earth:  A Political History of the Space
Program.)

--Steve Bellovin