ABSTRACT
The beginning of the reliability field may be traced to the early 1930s when probability concepts were applied to electric power generation problems [1,2]. However, usually in the published literature, the starting point of the reliabil ity discipline is regarded as World War II, with the development of German VI and V2 rockets. In fact, it was Robert Lusser who played an instrumental role in their development with respect to reliability [3]. In 1947, an extensive study concerning failures of over 100,000 tubes (i.e., electronic valves) was jointly conducted by Aeronautical Radio, Inc. and Cornell University. As a result of various reliability-related studies performed by its three services - Air Force, Navy, and Army - the United States Department of Defense estab lished an ad hoc committee on reliability [4] in 1950. A year later, General George C. Marshall, the Secretary of Defense, issued a directive to increase reliability of military electronic equipment. In 1952, Assistant Secretary of Defense (research and engineering) transformed the ad hoc committee to a per manent group known as the Advisory Group on the Reliability of Electronic Equipment (AGREE) [5].
