Retaining F-22A Tooling: Options and Costs

Abstract : In April 2009, the Secretary of Defense announced that production of the F-22A fighter would stop at 187 aircraft. In the fiscal year (FY) 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress stipulated a requirement for several reports about the F-22A. One, for example, required an evaluation of the feasibility of creating an export version of the F-22A. Section 133 of the NDAA also required a plan to deal with the preservation and storage of the unique tooling related to the production of the F-22A. The intent of Section 133 was to help policymakers decide whether to dispose of production tooling by comparing the difference in the cost of preserving all F-22A unique government tooling required for a production restart with the cost of preserving only the tooling required to sustain the F-22A during its life. This technical report responds to the Section 133 requirement for a plan addressing the preservation and storage of unique tooling related to the production of hardware and end items for F-22A fighter aircraft. Section 133 stipulates that the plan must accomplish the following: ensure that the tooling will be available to allow restart of the program after a period of idleness; ensure that the tooling will be available to support the long-term sustainment and repair of the F-22A; identify the costs of restarting production; and identify contract modifications, facilities, and funding required to carry out the plan. RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF) was asked to prepare an answer to the tooling-plan requirement. The resulting study, "Retaining F-22A Tooling: Options and Costs," was conducted from December 2009 through March 2010 within PAF's Resource Management Program. This study should interest those involved in the acquisition of weapon systems, those concerned with the cost of such systems, and those interested in production-shutdown decisions.