Trade-Offs in Weapon System Design: Improving Performance at a Cost

1. TRADE-OFFs IN WEAPON SYSTEM DESIGN BY RONALD ELBE CLOSE COMBAT ARMAMENTS CENTER PRODUCTION & FIELD SUPPORT TEAM NDIA PRESENTATION MAY 2003 Elber@ria.army.mil DSN 793-5475 COMM (309) 782-5475 Tank-automotive &ArmamentsCommand Committed to Excellence R-1

2. DISCLAIMER • NOT AN OFFICIAL U.S. ARMY POSITION • CONTENT SOLELY OPINION & RESPONSIBILITY OF RON ELBE Committed to Excellence 2

3. PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION • HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF INTERACTIONS / TRADE OFFs WITHIN WEAPON SYSTEMS • IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN USER & DEVELOPER Committed to Excellence 3

4. FIRST PRINCIPLE OF WEAPON SYSTEM DESIGN •••• Committed to Excellence 4

5. “THERE AIN’T NO FREE RIDES ! ” (EVERYTHING IS A TRADE-OFF) Committed to Excellence 5

6. TYPICAL SYSTEM TRADE-OFFs “IMPROVING”MAY DEGRADE RELIABILITY ACCURACY, AFFORDABILITY, PORTABILITY TERMINAL BALLISTICS DURABILITY AFFORDABILITY, PORTABILITY, TERMINAL BALLISTICS PORTABILITY AFFORDABILITY, AMMO CAPACITY, DURABILITY, TERMINAL BALLISTICS FEATURES AFFORDABILITY, MAINTAINABILITY, PORTABILITY, RELIABILITY RATE OF FIRE ACCURACY, CONTROLLABILITY, DURABILITY Committed to Excellence 6

7. TYPICAL SYSTEM TRADE-OFFs(CONTINUED) “IMPROVING”MAY DEGRADE CONTROLLABILITY PORTABILITY, RATE OF FIRE, TERMINAL BALLISTICS ACCURACY AFFORDABILITY (WEAPON & AMMO), DURABILITY, RELIABILITY INTERCHANGEABILITY AFFORDABILITY 5% – 95% FEATURES, TERMINAL BALLISTICS AMMO CAPACITY DURABILITY, PORTABILITY Committed to Excellence 7

8. TYPICAL SYSTEM TRADE-OFFs(CONTINUED) “IMPROVING”MAY DEGRADE SAFETY FEATURES, TERMINAL BALLISTICS TERMINAL BALLISTICS AFFORABILITY, DURABILITY, PORTABILITY, RANGE, RELIABILITY, SAFETY PENETRATION LETHALITY, PORTABILITY, RELIABILITY MUZZLE FLASH PORTABILITY Committed to Excellence 8

9. TRADE OFFs AFFECT ENTIRE SYSTEM M856 TRACE DISTANCE & BALLISTIC MATCH PROJECTILE SHAPE/LENGTH & TERMINAL BALLISTICS RIFLING TWIST,CTG COST, CTG INTEGRITY BARREL LIFE, ACCURACY Committed to Excellence 9

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12. DESIGNERS JUGGLE TRADE-OFFs TOWARD AN “OPTIMUM DESIGN” Committed to Excellence 12

13. WEAPON SYSTEMS ARE LIKE MOVIES • • • • SEQUELS MAY OR MAY NOT BE BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL • EVOLUTION CAN IMPROVE SYSTEMS, BUT •• ORIGINAL DESIGNER PROBABLY MADE WISE TRADE-OFFs •• DESIGN VARIANTS DEVIATE FROM THOSE TRADE-OFFs •• THE DEVIATIONS AND THEIR RESULTING NEW TRADE-OFFs MUST BE THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH DEVELOPER & USER Committed to Excellence 13

14. EXAMPLES OF VARIANTS Committed to Excellence 14

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16. SOME TRADE-OFFs MAY NOT BE OBVIOUS SO, HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF (MUZZLE FLASH VS PORTABILITY) Committed to Excellence 16

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21. RECOMMENDATIONS TO USERS • DON’T MAKE ANY REQUIREMENT MORE STRINGENT THAN NEEDED. • ADDRESS ALL REQUIREMENTS. • BE FLEXIBLE IN YOUR REQUIREMENTS. • ASK ABOUT TRADE-OFFs ! ! ! • UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT TRADE-OFFs. Committed to Excellence 21

22. RECOMMENDATIONS TO DEVELOPERS • TAKE A “TOTAL SYSTEM” VIEWPOINT • UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM IMPLICATIONS OF EVERY REQUIREMENT • MAKE CONSCIOUS TRADE-OFF DECISIONS •• USE A FORMAL TRADE-OFF MATRIX / PROCESS / ANALYSIS • EXPLAIN IMPLICATIONS OF USER REQUIREMENTS TO HIM Committed to Excellence 22

23. BECAUSE • • • Committed to Excellence 23

24. THERE AIN’T NO FREE RIDES ! ! ! (IF YOU DON’T ACCEPT THIS PRINCIPLE, THE SOLDIER WON’T GET OPTIMUM SYSTEM ! ! !) Committed to Excellence 24