The V-22: can the nation afford to forgo its production?

Abstract

The V-22 was designed from the ground up to satisfy missions required by all military services. It is an airplane that represents the leading edge of tiltrotor technology. Since Secretary Cheney's decision to cancel the V-22 in 1989, lines of political competition have been drawn. Continued support for the V-22 comes from an influential group within Congress determined to advance the program based on its civil application. The V-22 no longer represents a purely programmatic issue. It now represents a battle between the Executive and Legislative branches over their specific defense responsibilities. This thesis addresses two primary research questions. First, using the V-22 as a case study, what are the programmatic and financial implications for the Department of Defense and industry of dual-use technology? Second, what does the V-22 teach us about the process of defense budgeting? Throughout the thesis emphasis is placed on the actions of the committees of Congress responsible for the defense budget, and specifically the V-22. This thesis examines the roles and relationships between the "players" throughout the history of the V-22 program to determine if any useful analogies may be identified with respect to present and future defense budgeting and acquisition practices.