Understanding DO-178C Software Certification: Benefits Versus Costs

DO-178C is never cheap, certainly not on the first project. And in clear cases outlined herein, DO-178C can increase costs above DO-178B, which already increased software certification costs by 20-40% itself. But is DO-178C really "too" expensive? Doesn't it actually reduce costs over DO-178B for companies who were doing it "right"? Does it reduce long-term costs at the expense of increased development cost? Will it improve safety and reliability and if so, to what degree? Exactly what benefits are received from complying with DO-178C? In what areas is DO-178C more expensive than DO-178B? These questions are dealt with herein.