3 ms·
Much of the cost in per unit is due to initial capex (e.g. R&D and tooling). I would hope they're reusing many of the things from the first version. This would
by miketery 3y ago
Much of the cost in per unit is due to initial capex (e.g. R&D and tooling). I would hope they're reusing many of the things from the first version. This would make the new version much cheaper per unit.
But agreed that cost is likely to balloon, both government and defense contractors are incentivized for it to balloon (it's a lucrative jobs program for many across many states).
- coredog64 3y agoThe rule of thumb from my senior aircraft design course was that 90% of the cost is designed in before you bend the first piece of sheet metal. Commercial programs have their own guidelines about how many planes you have to make to break even, and even there where they aren’t radically pushing the envelope it’s on the order of hundreds.