Challenges Affecting Heavy Lift Aircraft Development to Support Sea Basing

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.