AbstractThe historical and, to some extent, the current role of attribute inspection sampling in the United States Air Force is described. Some insight into consideration culminating in revisions made to the original MIL‐STD‐105 sampling plans is provided. These revisions were motivated from a practitioner's perspective rather than that of a statistical expert. Some significant administrative applications within the Air Force are described, and a practical method, based on the total amount of inspection, is given for distinguishing between sampling plans that have a fixed risk level (i.e., common value on the OC curv