McNamara's Bargain
 
 
As Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara brought a rigorous
system of quantitative analysis to the Pentagon.  He believed
that if he asked the right questions, he could make correct
judgments.  It was Robert McNamara who advised the U.S. to get
involved in Vietnam, who advised the U.S. to win the war with a
huge ground force, and who ultimately advised the U.S. to pull
out.  It was also Robert McNamara who advocated the Tactical
Fighter Experimental (TFX) a multi-service combat airframe that
would meet both Navy and Air Force needs.
 
With a standard fighter airframe, McNamara forecast that the U.S.
would save millions of dollars.  The Air Force and the Navy
objected to the idea of a single airframe for both service
branches but were overruled.  The General Dynamics F-111A/B won
this multi-service competition.  A scheme evolved that General
Dynamics would build the Air Force F-111A, and Grumman
Corporation would build the F-111B for the Navy.  The heart of
the aircraft's offensive power was to be the new Phoenix missile
system.
 
To meet the specifications of both the Air Force and Navy,
General Dynamics produced the first aircraft with an encapsulated
ejection seat, a variable sweep wing, an after-burning turbofan
engine, terrain-following radar, and a sea-level supersonic
capability.  This aircraft was supposed to operate both from
bases on land and from carriers with equal facility.  But, just
as the generals and the admirals predicted, too much was asked of
the experimental aircraft.
 
One model of the plane, the F-111B, grew so much in weight (over
77,500 pounds) that it  became too heavy for carrier operations. 
This program was quickly canceled.  The other model, the F-111A,
went through a torturous development period, at times being
referred to as "the swing-wing Edsel." Eventually, the F-111A
became an outstanding Air Force fighter-bomber, but left the Navy
without a fleet defense fighter -- until the F-14 Tomcat. 
Needless to say, Robert McNamara's intended millions in savings
turned into hundreds of millions in overruns.