A Contractor Builds Large Ships for the Department of Defense

question 1

Essay

A contractor builds large ships for the Department of Defense. A recent contract called for 12 amphibious landing platforms. It was originally estimated that the first of these would cost $1 billion and that 80 percent learning would be appropriate. In fact, the first ship cost $1.6 billion and the second $1.12 billion. What is the revised learning curve? What will be the total cost of the 12 ships? Is it higher or lower than the original estimate? If the defense department cuts the contract from 12 ships to 9, what happens to the average cost per ship?

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Definitions:

Initial Cost

The initial expenditure to acquire an asset or start a project, including purchase price, installation fees, and other upfront costs.

Double-Declining-Balance Method

A method of depreciation that provides periodic depreciation expense based on the declining book value of a fixed asset over its estimated life.

Residual Value

The remaining value of an asset after accounting for depreciation and usage over time.

Depreciation

A systematic reduction in the recorded value of a fixed asset, recognizing wear and tear over time.