bdavis_

it is not the electronic chips that cause an autopilot to fail (in most cases). the primary failure mode is 'something else', meaning a failure in the mechanical equipment connected to the environment.

No. Most cases, the first level engineering manager will make less than some of those being managed. One cause is experience, years, and wage growth. Another cause is high salaries for software engineers relative to the rest of the company.

What a wonderful story. It all comes down to risk and reward. Would Northrup go all 'agiley' and get this done quickly? Sure if you paid them Time and Material for the work and let them off the hook for any operational failures. No-one wants to do the work for 5% profit. No-one wants to hear the USAF want compensation when your program gives them a wrong answer and you lose a plane. So, we write a spec, and all agree. The we do a design, and all agree, Then we deliver and requirements have changed. The nature of the world we live in.