Cost and operational effectiveness analysis of alternative force structures for fulfillment of the United States Marine Corps operational support airlift and search and rescue missions

Abstract

This thesis provides a preliminary cost and operational effectiveness analysis of alternative force structures for the United States Marine Corps operational support airlift and search and rescue missions. The four alternative force structures include C-12s and CH-46Es, C-35s and CH-46Es and HV-609s. Lifecycle cost analysis of the alternative force structures using Crystal Bali forecasting provides a 90% upper confidence level lifecycle cost estimate that identifies a mix of C-35s for operational support airlift and CH-46Es for search and rescue as the least expensive alternative. Operational effectiveness analysis provides a measure of overall utility for each of the four alternative force structures based on five measures of effectiveness. The measures of effectiveness examined are air travel time, total travel time, landing site requirements, range versus time on station, and payload versus range. Analytical hierarchy process rankings indicate that the HV-609 is the preferred alternative considering these measures of effectiveness. Analysis of cost versus operational effectiveness identifies the HV-609 as the most cost and operationally effective alternative for fulfilling the Marine Corps operational support airlift and search and rescue missions.