Cost Estimating Relations for Space-Based Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications Systems

Abstract

This report documents an effort to develop a database and cost estimating relation (CER), for Battle Management, Command, Control and Communications (BM/C³) architectures.

Data on twenty-eight BM/C³ communications systems were collected, and a common Cost Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) was devised to eliminate cost accounting disparities among these architectures and organize the data into a single database.

The data were subjected to statistical regression analysis in order to estimate a linear equation that relates the system integration costs to system technical and performance characteristics, such as weight, data flow speed, and number of nodes.

Much of the data collection and analysis to date has concentrated on a relatively homogeneous collection of space-based architectures, resulting in a CER that is particularly appropriate to such systems but not to the full gamut of BM/C³ systems required for comprehensive cost estimation. Consequently, a recommendation arising from this study is to obtain data on additional, more heterogeneous, BM/C³ architectures in order to expand the usefulness of the cost estimating tool under development.