Reflections on Research and Development in the United States Air Force
Reflections on Research and Development in the United States Air Force

Author: Office of Air Force History

Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub

Published: 2015-02-28

Total Pages: 110

ISBN-13: 9781508660323

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Reflections on Research and Development in the United States Air Force was intended to be part of the now-defunct Warrior Series. While the necessity for that particular series has lapsed, its long-term goal remains valid-to produce books which will appeal to all levels of Air Force people, who may learn from the past and perhaps apply the experiences of past generations to the present. This publication should interest readers who have scant familiarity with research and development, as well as those intimately familiar with the subject. The former will gain an understanding of the outline history of Air Force research and development, while the latter will obtain fresh, personal perspectives. In 1982 General Lew Allen, Jr. called for "the continuing study of military history, combat leadership, the principles of war, and particularly, the applications of air power." All of us in the Air Force community can benefit from such study and reflection. The challenges of today and the future demand no less.

Reflections on Research and Development in the United States Air Force
Reflections on Research and Development in the United States Air Force

Author: Richard H Kohn, Dr

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2012-05-26

Total Pages: 108

ISBN-13: 9781477546918

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This manuscript was intended to part of the original "Warrior Series," whose original goal was to produce books which appeal to all levels of Air Force people who may learn form the past and apply the experiences of past generations to the present. This oral history traces the research and development process in the Air Force. The discussions describe how the process evolved, whether or not it has been successful, why it changed, and the major influences upon it. The generals and Dr. Getting provide keen insight into the changes that have developed in research and development since the beginnings of the U.S. Air Force.

The Secret of Apollo
The Secret of Apollo

Author: Stephen B. Johnson

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2006-10-31

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 9780801885426

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Winner of the Emme Award for Astronautical Literature from the American Astronautical Society How does one go about organizing something as complicated as a strategic-missile or space-exploration program? Stephen B. Johnson here explores the answer—systems management—in a groundbreaking study that involves Air Force planners, scientists, technical specialists, and, eventually, bureaucrats. Taking a comparative approach, Johnson focuses on the theory, or intellectual history, of "systems engineering" as such, its origins in the Air Force's Cold War ICBM efforts, and its migration to not only NASA but the European Space Agency. Exploring the history and politics of aerospace development and weapons procurement, Johnson examines how scientists and engineers created the systems management process to coordinate large-scale technology development, and how managers and military officers gained control of that process. "Those funding the race demanded results," Johnson explains. "In response, development organizations created what few expected and what even fewer wanted—a bureaucracy for innovation. To begin to understand this apparent contradiction in terms, we must first understand the exacting nature of space technologies and the concerns of those who create them."