Potential Savings Through Consolidated Development of Computer Flight Plan System

The potential exists for incurring unnecessary costs through the duplicative development by the Air Force and the Navy of computer flight plan (CFP) systems to take advantage of or to avoid weather conditions. The CFP systems are being designed to optimize aircraft routing and reduce fuel consumption.

The two services are developing CFP systems independently of each other, and, as a result, two separate computer software programs will be developed requiring an additional computer. If there are savings to be realized through joint development of CFP systems, the necessity for each service to develop its own system is questionable. Since commercial airlines and certain Air Force estimates already show that savings can be achieved through improved CFP systems, there is no need for the Air Force to independently test a system to determine if it is economically feasible. The current independent actions should be halted until both services justify the need for independent rather than joint CFP system development and the Air Force can demonstrate the need for an economic feasibility test. If the tests are needed, the Air Force should be required to show that less costly test procedures have been adequately considered.