As opposed to a development program for a new weapons system. Development programs take forever, cost like crazy, and deliver late. Pentagon cost savers are claiming that COTS procurement will save money.
So the Navy, needing a replacement for the P3 Orion antisubmarine planes (The Orions have been flying since the 1960's), purchased Boeing 737s. Not a bad idea, the 737 has been flying for years and years. If you flew on a single aisle airliner, it was probably a 737. Southwest loves the 737 and flies nothing else. Good well proven plane. Just take out the seats and put in the antisubmarice electronics. Hang some torpedoes under the wings. Piece of cake.
But then the Navy has flown a few test flights. Just a few. 3000 hours worth of test flying. That's 125 DAYS , 24 hour days, in the air. At $10,000 an hour.
When Boeing builds a commercial 737, they give it one, just one test flight, and turn it over to the customer. Who proceeds to fly passengers in it.
The Navy, buying the same plane, does 3000 hours of test flying. Time for a little sequestration here.
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